


Contract Killer

by cbsk_exo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Assassination Attempt(s), Eventual Smut, Hitman Sehun, M/M, Prince Kim Jongin, Royalty, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2019-08-27 14:18:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 31,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16704052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cbsk_exo/pseuds/cbsk_exo
Summary: Highest Paid. Well known. Extremely dangerous.Oh Sehun stalked the streets of Seoul taking out any and every name that came across his desk. No questions asked. That was until he was asked too kill the youngest member of the royal family."Why him?"





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I played around with this prompt in my head for awhile. Not sure how it will turn out but I hope that you all give it a fair shot and enjoy!
> 
> Thank you :D

The moon shown over the dark streets of Seoul on a chilly evening as Sehun stalked a figure down to the docks. His latest target was a stumbling drunk having no idea that his life was about to end in the flash of an eye. Sehun felt bad for having to kill him. ALMOST. As the figure tripped and stumbled aimlessly, Sehun followed behind at a slow menacing pace. 

The “file” on the man in front of him, had come across his mahogany desk about a few weeks ago. His wife having had enough of his abusive behavior. He didn’t know how she found him and his “services,” but she had come into his office trembling so bad that he was afraid she was going to pass out on him. He could see the new and old bruises scattered over her arms and the slowly recovering black eye. 

“How can I help you ma’am?” He asked in a stone-cold voice that held no emotion. 

“I – I uhm, I need your help. Please.” the lady’s voice shook.

“I don’t know what you think I do, but by all means ask your question.” 

His hard stare hadn’t wavered from her face and he waited silently as the woman in front of him processed how to ask him to end another human’s life.  
“I need you to kill my husband.”

Sehun stood there. No emotion. No movement. No answer. He was studying her. Making sure that this wasn’t some act to lure him into a trap. He had made many enemies over the years. At twenty-six years old he had been destroying lives for majority of his adult life. So, he tried to never let his guard down. Even to a clearly distraught woman.

“I have, I have uhm money sir. Just tell me how much.”

Still no answer. The woman was on the verge of tears. It was almost torturous to continue scaring the poor woman like this, but he had to be sure.

“How did you find me?”

It’s not like there were flyers with his name plastered all around Seoul. He was damn near a ghost. So, someone had to have some good connections to be able to find him.

“I know you’re clearly scared ma’am, but I need to know how you found me.” He tried to sound somewhat soothing, but his voice came out barely above a growl.

“Uhm, well my husband isn’t exactly squeaky clean. He has connections in places I didn’t even know existed. So, I stole his phone when he was drunk one night and found messages about a person who can “clean up without leaving a trace.”

In that moment, Sehun knew that not only for the woman’s safety but his own that her husband had to go. What an idiot, to keep a contract killers information stored in his phone. But then again it was to be expected of a drunkard who could barely stand on his own two feet and beat a defenseless woman whenever he damn well pleased. So, with a quiet stealth and increased intensity Sehun stalked his prey. The man had now found his way into the heart of the docks. There were large crates stacked all around them, so he used that as cover as he snuck up behind him. Sehun found him staring out over the docks edge, eyes trained on the water below him. Stalking up to the man, he heard him mumbling what he thought to be random mess. That was until he realized he was talking about hundreds of different crimes, murders, racketeering, gun running, and even drugs. Who the hell was he really about to kill? According to the wife, on the outside he was just a boring business man who after long days would come home, drink, and then beat her and the children.

After a quick internal debate, Sehun slowly swiped the man’s phone from his back pocket and started recording. This man was so far gone he had no idea that he was about to die. Though he never worked on the right side of law tonight he would go slightly above and beyond. He figured this man’s wife could maybe get some compensation for herself in the long run. He’d distort any images that could leave any traces of him and leave it in a manila envelope for the police. There was certainly a one hundred percent guarantee that there was more where this man came from. 

Normally, he liked to kill with his bare hands but tonight there was a change of plans. If he hadn’t changed his original plan the man would be dead right now. But since, he decided to record a “last confession” he went to his back up plan. A few days ago, he stored his stolen Colt M4A1 sniper rifle in an opened container a few rows back. He grabbed it from the container and climbed up to his snipers’ perch. He put the silencer on, slowed his breathing, and listened to the wind before sending the deadly bullet straight into the man’s heart.

“Another one bites the dust.” 

Surveying the area and making sure he left no traces of himself behind, Sehun stalked off into the darkness of the night. He’d left his car not to far from the bar that the stumbling idiot all but fell out of a little over an hour ago. His rifle was folded up neatly into a briefcase, so he just looked like another businessman to the naked eye. Making it to his car he stuck his briefcase into his trunk before addressing the man that had been following him for the last five blocks.

“You know it’s not good to sneak up on a stranger?” he said calmly

“I’m aware. But you won’t kill me. Well not right now a least.”

Sehun almost laughed. But instead opted for looking at the almost looming man incredulously.

“And why is that?”

“Because I have a job for you.”

What was it with people finding him so easily nowadays. This was becoming tiresome. He might have to relocate soon if things kept up like this. 

“First, why don’t you step out of the shadows?” He didn’t like not having the upper hand.

“No can do.” The voice replied. It was a deep one but that was all he could discern.

“Now how is that fair? You clearly know my face, but I know nothing of you.”

“You will be seeing me again soon enough. Well that’s if you take this job.”

“Well since this conversation is taking entirely too long, I’ll give you thirty seconds before I kill you and go home.”

“All I need is ten.”

Sehun just waited, counting the seconds in his head.

“You will kill Prince Kim Jongin.”

Before Sehun could even respond to that statement the figure in front of him was gone with only a business card and number written on the back.

“Why him?” he mumbled to himself as he picked up the card and headed home.

 

Sehun woke the next day well after 9 in the morning. That was early for him as he didn’t usually head in to his office until after noon. By day he was a highly respected security firm manager. That was fancy talk for he hired and trained bodyguards, bouncers, and built security systems for any and all businesses. By night, he was the most dangerous man to walk the streets of Seoul.

All night long he tossed and turned over that conversation in the alley. Any other time he wouldn’t give a single damn about who he was asked to kill. But this was royalty! No way in hell he just waltz’s up, kills the prince, and leaves. No. From what little information that he knew about the Kim Dynasty they didn’t just walk out in the open for anyone to get close to them. They lived their life in the tightest of circles. So how in the hell can he even get his foot in the door of this one if his target barely even left his own front lawn.  
His phone buzzed from the nightstand next to his bed. Reaching over, he answered without looking at the number.

“Good morning boss. I’m sorry to wake you but I have a Park Chanyeol and Byun Baekhyun here to see you.”

“Who?”

He knew for a fact he knew absolutely no one by that name.

“Um. This Chanyeol person said that you would know him.”

“Well I don’t. What do they want?”

“They wouldn’t specify. Well refused to specify and stated that it was meeting that only you needed to know about.”

“Reschedule.”

He wasn’t in the mood to deal with what seemed to be some pretentious assholes that thought they could walk into his place of business and make all the rules.

“Tried that boss, they weren’t taking no for an answer. Said they’d wait all day.”

Grumbling into the phone, he stretched and got out of his king-sized bed.

“Fine. I’ll be in an hour.”

Hanging up the phone before his lovely receptionist could even answer again, he stormed his half naked ass into the bathroom. Whoever, these Chanyeol and Baekhyun people were, they had a rude awakening coming for them. Rule number one was never call in the boss before he even left his bedroom. Rule number two, he didn’t accept walk-ins. Damn assholes. They were lucky that they’d get to walk out of his office alive. 

Forty-five minutes later he was walking out of his high-rise penthouse apartment. He owned the whole building and the top floor was his. The last thing he needed was for people to be snooping around and finding things they had no business knowing about. Getting off the elevator, he nodded to the doorman and went through the underground garage to his car. He had a designated parking spot and his beautiful all black Audi with tinted windows was parked right where he knew she’d be.

“Let’s go to work, babe.” He said as he lightly tapped the car before getting in and speeding off.

His office was about twenty minutes away from his apartment. Since there wasn’t much traffic on the streets, he made it there in under fifteen. As he headed in, he could feel the anger rolling off his body. If he didn’t control his every emotion before making it to his office this meeting was for sure to turn violent and fast.

“Hello Joy.” He lowly grumbled as he walked past her.

“Uh. The men are waiting in your office. They wouldn’t stay in the lobby. Sorry boss.”

What the fuck. These men were really grating his nerves. As intimidating as he could be, he made sure he never scared Joy. Right now, the poor girl looked about ready to run. 

“Don’t worry. How about you take the rest of the day off? I’ll call in Jennie for the afternoon.”

“Are you sure?’

“Yeah. Go ahead.”

He left her to gather her things and head home. The longer the girl stayed there she was bound to jump out of her own skin. Walking into his enormous office, he felt before he saw the figures in his office. Their auras were about as deadly as his own. 

“You have thirty seconds to explain yourself. Scaring my poor receptionist out her damn wits and for what?” he growled

“Once again, all I need as ten.”

Sehun whipped his head around so fast he heard his neck crack. 

“Ah now you can see my face clearly enough. Fair enough for you?”

“Not even remotely. Still seems you know more about me, than I do you.” 

He thought he was good at brooding. The man in front of him could burn a hole into a wall if he stared long enough. The smaller one beside him wasn’t too far off either. Who the fuck were these men?

“As it seems you are doing your best to figure us out let me introduce myself. I am Park Chanyeol and this is my associate Byun Baekhyun. We work as close personal bodyguards to the Kim Dynasty. Specifically, Prince Jongin.”

“Ahh the one you want me to kill?”

“Seems you didn’t forget that tidbit?”

“How could I? It is my job. But you already knew that.”

“That I did.”

“Do you accept our offer?” the smaller one, Baekhyun asked

“You haven’t exactly told me the details about said offer.”

“There are no details. Other than one million up front and another two million after the job is finished.” Chanyeol responded coldly

“That does nothing if I can’t get close to the Prince. Not like he walks the streets like a normal person.”

He said that in such a duh manner that Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s eyebrows both lifted.

“Are you always a smartass?” asked Chanyeol

“Only when people storm into my office and make demands.”

“Well, to answer your question we need a new bodyguard. The last one left us unexpectedly.” Baekhyun stated

He highly doubted that there was anything unexpected about that, but he dared not push.

“We’ll give you twenty-four hours to respond.” said Chanyeol

They walked out of his office without another word or glance his way. Why did this feel like he didn’t really have much of a choice in the matter? He definitely did not like walking into situations blind. That had to change. And fast.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's meet Prince Jongin :)

Jongin stood in his bedroom, staring out of the window that overlooked the back lawn. He could almost feel the crisp morning air when he placed his hand on the window. But the world around him was silent. Stifling. Miserable. Cut off. A prison. 

It was nearing 5pm and all he did was stay holed up in his room. The most walking he did was from his bed to the bathroom to take a shower. According to his father he was not allowed to do things that normal “boys” his age did. However, somewhere along the lines his father had forgotten that he was no longer a boy but a grown man. Yes, he was a prince that was the last heir to the Kim Dynasty but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t interact with the outside world. At the very least he could take a walk around the damn palace grounds. But nope. Even that wasn’t allowed. He had no friends. His older brothers had all left to go run their own countries. The most interactions he had were with his bodyguards Chanyeol and Baekhyun, but that was like talking to a brick wall. All he got out of those two were a “hmph” and maybe a decent conversation from time to time. Great conversationalists those two were. 

There was a soft knock on his door. 

“Come in.” His deep voice answered without turning from his spot at the window.

“Your highness, dinner is served,” a soft voice spoke from behind him.

“Thank you. I’m not hungry.”

“Uh…uhm…”

That was when he turned around to see a flustered maid bowing in front of him. She must have been new because most maids weren’t afraid to address him. So, he just waited while she gathered her strength to continue speaking.

“Uh…your father insisted that you come down. He says that you are to have a guest over.”

“I frankly don’t care what my father wants. I am not hungry.” He responded coolly

“You should care,” came a deeper voice than his.

Chanyeol was leaning against his door frame. The poor maid in front of him looked like she was about to die on him. Her knees were shaking so badly, and her hands kept running over the front of her uniform.

“You can leave now.” Chanyeol addressed the maid.

The woman ran out of there as fast as her little legs could carry her.

“You don’t have to scare her you know?”

“I know but it’s fun.”

Jongin rolled his eyes at that.

“Is she new?”

“I guess. Haven’t seen her around much.”

Jongin flopped on his bed and stared up at his ceiling with his hands behind his head. He meant what he said when he said he wasn’t going to eat dinner. Aside from being in this colossal palace with more servants than family, dinner was the second closest thing to hell. His parents were “divorced” by society’s standards but by royal standards that wasn’t acceptable. So, they pretended to be a picture-perfect couple to everyone else. He despised how everyone swooned over them like they came straight from a fairytale. When it was the exact opposite. His parents never spoke to each other and when they did it ended up being a shouting match. They lived on opposite wings and as much as they thought he didn’t know he saw them sneak other people in at night. With as much free time as he had on his hands, Jongin knew all the secret passages around the palace.

“I hope you’re not wearing that to dinner.”

“Why are you still here? You didn’t get the hint when I said I wasn’t eating dinner?”

“I got the hint but chose to ignore it. Plus, we have a guest.”

“I’m aware and I still do not care.”

“Look. You can starve if you want but I really don’t feel like hearing another tongue lashing from your father because I couldn’t get you to do something. Spare me. Just this once.”  
Jongin looked into Chanyeol’s eyes and for the first time he thought he saw a hint of stress and sorrow behind that hard mask he wore.

“Fine.” He grumbled.

He rolled off his bed only wearing a crisp pair of jeans and no shirt. He slid on a pair of his nicer Converses and walked towards his bedroom door. Chanyeol didn’t move out of his way though.

“You could at least put on a shirt.”

Without saying a word, he turned around and grabbed the first thing out of his closet. It was a tight fitted V-neck black shirt. This was as good as it was going to get and if Chanyeol said another word he would turn around with a quickness, throw on a pair of raggedy sweatpants and go to bed.

About five minutes later, he arrived in the great room where his father was sitting with a drink in his hand and his mother sat on the couch across from him in her best dress. Baekhyun was standing in the corner and next to him was a man he had never seen before in his life. But could he even be considered a man? He was fucking beautiful but there was a dangerous aura surrounding him that Jongin almost felt like it was wrong to even look in his direction. So, he opted not to.

“Nice of you to join us.” His father said 

“I only came because you said we had a guest. Let’s get this over with.”

“Jongin. That is no way to address a king or a father. Show some respect.”

“I will when he shows me some, mother.”

Out of his peripheral he saw his fathers’ eyes flash with anger, but he quickly reeled that in. Guess he didn’t want to show his anger in front of their guest.

“Well. Let’s get on with it.”

Jongin was slowly losing his patience. Not that he had much of it to begin with. He heard Baekhyun sigh as he stepped forward with the stranger in tow.

“Jongin, this is your new bodyguard.”

New WHAT? Jongin thought to himself. How long would this one last? He was always supposed to have three, but they seemed to disappear after a month or so. He took a long look at the man that seemed to carry a shadow around with him. He was nearly as tall as Chanyeol. Jet black hair. Wide shoulders. A slim waist. A strong intimidating face. And he walked with a crisp grace that he didn’t think he’d ever seen before. He looked like a panther. Probably, preyed like one too. Well that’s if panthers were to come in human form.

“Come to kill me?” Jongin asked the man dryly.

The face in front of him went from shock, to confusion, to stoic in a matter of seconds.

“JONGIN!” his mother yelled

“What? Guess nobody has a sense of humor around here.” He shrugged

“I’m Sehun. Oh Sehun.”

Jongin just stared at the outstretched hand. Damn he had a deep voice. It sent shivers down his spine, but he made no inclination to show that it affected him in the slightest.

“No offense but I don’t really care who you are.”

“And why is that?” 

The hand had now retreated.

“Because I learned long ago that once you learn names you start to care. When you start to care people leave. So once again I don’t really care who you are.”

On that note Jongin left the stranger named Sehun and his family in the great room and headed back upstairs to the one spot that he could find some solace in this place.

 

Sehun stood in stunned silence. He didn’t know what he was expecting when he accepted this job, but it certainly wasn’t that. He’d only seen Prince Jongin in small clips in the newspapers but the man that was in front of him was a totally different image.

“Don’t mind him. He knows not what he speaks.” King Kim stated

“With all due respect sir, I think he knows more than he lets on.” Sehun shot back.

“That may be true, but it changes nothing.”

Turning around he looked into eyes that were probably more dangerous than his own. Seen things that Sehun probably couldn’t even fathom. And that’s a heavy statement considering Sehun’s own father wasn’t exactly on the straight and narrow. But that was a conversation for another day.

“If you’d like to follow me into my office, we can talk about the terms of your contract and then you may join us for dinner.”

“Um. Would you mind if I talked to your son first?”

Sehun could see the worry flash in the king’s eyes but it vanished within the blink of an eye.

“If it makes you feel any better sir, the reason you hired me does not commence today.”

He knew that statement wouldn’t go over King Kim’s head.

“Very well. He’s probably on his balcony. Take the stairs to the right and it’s three doors down.”

“Thank you.”

Following the directions given to him, Sehun found Jongin standing on a balcony that overlooked the front lawn and he could see the sunset shine across the man’s face. His skin was a darker contrast to his own milky skin. He had a strong jaw, silver hair with an undercut and the sides slightly shaved, and he stood just as tall as him.

“You can stop staring at any time.”

Sehun wasn’t aware that he was until he noticed that Jongin was no longer looking at the sunset but had turned around and was looking straight into his eyes.

“Sorry.” He grumbled out

“A man like you knows how to apologize? Color me shocked.”

“And what’s a man like me?”

He had stalked closer to Jongin. If he really wanted to start and finish his job, in that moment he could, and he’d be three million dollars richer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was actually supposed to be longer but I liked the cliffhanger too much!
> 
> Join me on twitter (@cbsk_exo) if you have any more questions and/or comments for me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh Jongin what are you thinking sweetheart?!

Sehun slowly walked closer and closer to Jongin. He watched with preying eyes as the prince moved backwards. One step. Two. Three. His back was now against the balcony railing. One push. Life ended. It was all so simple to him. But that way was also boring. How about another approach? Soft but lethal hands around the throat? He could choke him without leaving a single mark. Be gone before anyone caught him. So many options.

“I asked you what’s a man like me? Your highness.” Sehun asked in a mocking tone.

He could feel Jongin shakily breathing under him, but he gave no answer. Knowing that the man in front of him had no idea how close to death he was at any moment was an excruciatingly beautiful thought.

“In due time, you will answer me.” He whispered menacingly 

With a smirk on his face, Sehun backed away from Jongin before turning around and leaving the future heir to the throne to his own thoughts. On his way to the king’s study, he realized this was going to be an exciting experience. He never got to taunt his kills up close and personal before. To see them squirm. Wonder what he was doing? Why he was there? Watch death stare them right in the face and not know the exact moment when it would all end? This was a new high that Sehun would soon get used to. When he accepted the job, he was worried that it would be his hardest target to date. It wasn’t every day that he got a call to kill an heir to a throne. Especially, when the client didn’t give him much of an option to say no. No planning. No scoping. No stalking his prey. Learning their every move. Where they worked. Where they shopped. Who they knew. Where they laid their head at night. No. He had none of that this time. Just tossed straight into the lion’s den. But he was going to adapt. He had to. Or who knew what could happen to him if he didn’t deliver on his end of the bargain. 

 

Jongin was still catching his breath for what felt like hours after Sehun left. The way he looked at him made it seem like his soul was flying out of his body. It scared the ever-loving daylights out of him but it somehow managed to turn him on. This was ending today. He needed a new bodyguard. He didn’t care if he had to search for one himself. It ended NOW. That man was already detrimental to his health and it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours. The last time a bodyguard got him to rise to the lovely bedroom occasion it nearly tore the entire nation apart. And he hadn’t seen him since. Sorry Doh Kyungsoo, Jongin thought mournfully. 

So, with one goal in mind he headed back downstairs where he knew his lovely family would be. The conversation wasn’t ending until one Oh Sehun was out of the palace. Fuck the rule of having three bodyguards at all times. Anything was better than this. There was no way in the sand pits of hell that he was about to walk around on edge whilst simultaneously being turned on 24/7. He’d rather chop his own dick off than deal with that..

“FATHER!”

“Your father is not here right now. But thank you for rejoining us.” His mother replied softly

“I’m not staying. Where is he?”

“In his study. He wishes to not be disturbed as he is going over the particulars of your new bodyguards’ contract.”

“Like hell he is.”

Jongin stormed off. His mother was yelling at him to come back but he could have cared less in that moment. Nothing was going to stop him in that moment, not even a brick wall. When he arrived at his father’s study, he entered without knocking. Chanyeol and Baekhyun were standing on either side of his father behind his large mahogany desk. Sehun was sitting in one of the chairs in front, with a pen in his hand. Walking up to the man in question, he snatched the pen out of his hand. Sehun didn’t even flinch. Instead, he lazily leaned back in the chair and looked up at him behind those dark and dangerous eyes. 

“You’re not signing it.”

“Jongin.”

He heard Chanyeol mutter his name but didn’t bother to acknowledge him.

“Isn’t that my decision?” Sehun asked

“Not today it isn’t.”

The laughter that filled the room was not what he expected. Jongin watched in shock as Sehun sat in the chair laughing. Laughing at him. He could see his bright white teeth and even his sharp canines. Damn him. Without thinking he walked over to him and intended to punch him in the mouth. That didn’t end well. Before his fist could connect, Sehun had his hand in his and had twisted it behind his back while he rammed him face first into his father’s desk.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Jongin struggled against Sehun’s iron clad grip but it was no use. There was some rustling above his head and out of the corner of his eye he could see that the contract was being slid in their direction. He watched helplessly as Sehun signed right across the doted line. It was official, he was now being plunged into hell with a sexy panther for a bodyguard. What did he do in another life to even deserve this? 

“Now that we have that settled, if I let you go do you promise not to try and hit me again?”

“No.”

“Well I appreciate the honesty.”

He felt the grip loosen on his arm and he slowly stood up rubbing his hands and cracking his neck.

“Sorry.” He mumbled out

“Hm, a man like you knows how to apologize. Now it’s time to color me shocked.”

Jongin felt his eyes flash with annoyance at Sehun. Damn his entire life. 

“Father, I know he just signed his life away to protect me but I’d rather he killed me.”.

If only he knew…

With that, he left his now three bodyguards to discuss how they could ruin his future even more. Sehun walked around like he was a wolf constantly out for blood. If Jongin thought he could barely have a normal life before, he definitely wasn’t going to now. Adding on to the fact that there was a walking Adonis in his life now, he was in for a special kind of hell.

But would Sehun end his hell like he so frivolously asked?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How soon is pay day?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long :( hope you all are still with me

“I apologize for my son’s outburst.”

“No need to apologize sir. I respect his, what’s the right word? Resistance. This is his life after all.” Sehun stated

“He could not possibly know the real reason why you’re here.” Jongin’s father replied

“No, but he is far from stupid.”

On that note, Sehun stood up from his chair and slid the contract across the desk. He nodded towards Chanyeol and Baekhyun as he turned around to leave.

“You wouldn’t like to stay and join us for dinner?”

“As much as I appreciate the offer, I have to return home to retrieve some of my things.”

“Understood. When you return, we have a room down the hall from Jongin’s. I should not have to remind you to keep your “toys” out of sight.”

“You don’t tell me how to do my job, and I won’t tell you how to do yours.” Sehun growled out

He noted from his peripheral that Chanyeol had made a move to step forward but with one look his way he stepped back. Although, Chanyeol had gotten the drop on him before he wouldn’t this time. Now, they were on an even playing field, and that would not be a fight that the taller would win.

“Touché. There will be a car waiting for you outside to take you home. I expect to see you back here no later than 9 a.m. tomorrow.”

“One thing I am is punctual.”

Sehun left before they could say anything else. Heading down the hallway he walked past the walls of paintings and headed toward the great room where Jongin’s mother was still waiting. She looked nervous and unsettled. This wasn’t a life she wanted to live, he thought as he walked up to her.

“Ma’am is there anything you need?” Sehun asked softly

“Oh, oh I’m sorry I did not see you come in.” the woman nearly jumped out of her seat

“Did I startle you?”

“No. I was just lost in thought? Are you leaving us so soon?”

“Yes. But I will be back in the morning. I am your son’s new bodyguard. Can’t skate on my duties so soon.”

“He is lucky to have someone like you by his side.” She said this more to herself than him. Almost like she knew something that he didn’t.

I doubt that. Sehun thought to himself as he politely bowed and headed toward the front door. There were two armed bodyguards standing there waiting for him. One stepped aside and opened the door. When he walked outside, he didn’t realize how long he’d been there as it was well into the evening. The stars had risen, and the moon was bright in the skies. His favorite time of day. This was when he was at his most primal. When he would watch, stalk, and kill his many victims and slink off into the night. Taking a deep breath, he let the evening air fill his body. He would oddly miss this while he was on the Prince’s detail. 

“Coming?”

Sehun slowly turned his head to his right where Chanyeol was now standing next to him on the front steps. 

“What? Didn’t want to stay for dinner? I think I can find my way out of this maze.”

“Even so, I think it’s time we get better acquainted.”

Sehun didn’t respond and walked to the tinted window all-black Range Rover parked in front of the steps. Sliding in the passenger seat he waited for Chanyeol to get in. He spent a few minutes talking to the guards by the door as Sehun scoped out the many exits and vantage points surrounding the palace. Always have an exit strategy. Jongin could die at his hands any time, any day, and any place. He had to be prepared no matter where he was because he knew if he killed him on the palace grounds then it would send the whole place into a frenzy. If he didn’t have a get out strategy, if those lunkheads were smart they’d suspect the “new guy” in an instant. As he continued to scan the lawn, he noticed a shed peeking out from what looks like a sidewalk that leads to behind the palace. He would have to check it out some time tomorrow. 

“Let’s go.” Chanyeol said as he got in the front seat and slammed the door behind him.

“About time? Did you have a good chat?”

“I forgot how snarky you were.”

“Hm… sounds like a you problem.”

Chanyeol clenched his fist around the steering wheel, like he wanted to backhand Sehun but thought better of it at the last second. Which was a good idea on his part as Sehun knew how to kill someone with his bare hands as well. Somewhere in the last twenty-four hours Chanyeol must have forgotten that he is a trained killer. He’s just a bodyguard in name only so for future reference it was best Chanyeol watch his actions around Sehun. He wouldn’t mind killing an extra party on his path to kill the prince. Two for the price of one seemed reasonable to him if need be.

They took most of the drive back to Sehun’s apartment in silence. He watched from the passengers window as ordinary people lived their lives. Laughing at bad jokes in a bar, taking their families out to eat, going on nighttime strolls in the park with their loved ones. It was all so menial, but it made them happy. Had any one of their lives ever been in danger? From him? From someone else? Much like Jongin they would never know until it was too late, and they were taking their last breath.

“So about…”

“If you’re going to be the next person to tell me how to do my job, I would strongly advise against that.” 

Sehun cut him off before he could even get his question out.

“I wasn’t going to.”

“Yes, you were, but I’ll let it slide this time.”

Sehun enjoyed being back in charge of how things went in his life. Chanyeol had waltzed in and offered him the biggest job to ever cross his desk. That didn’t mean that he could suddenly talk to him any way he wanted. No. That ended the moment he accepted the job and signed on the dotted line. Now that he knew the players in the game, he could go back to living his life accordingly. 

“Sehun. Whether you like it or not, my job is now your job.” There was a slight hint of authority threatening to push through but Chanyeol managed to keep it at bay.

“Really? Which part? The killing part or the protecting part?”

Chanyeol didn’t respond to that question and just kept his eyes on the road. That was odd, and Sehun made sure to make a mental note of it for later. He had a feeling that pause, and non-answer would be something he would need in the future.

A few minutes later they pulled up in front of his apartment building. He could see his trusty doorman staring at the car suspiciously until he opened the door and stepped out.

“Mr. Oh! Good evening.” The elder man came bustling out at top speed to greet him by opening the door wide.

Turning around to a rolled down window, Sehun said, “Park, now you know where I live. Don’t be stupid and attempt to come kill me in the middle of the night.”

“Are you always this obnoxiously cocky?”

“In my business, you have to be.”

“And why is that?”

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

With a smirk heavily on his face Sehun left Chanyeol to his thoughts and lightly jogged inside his building. His doorman waited until the car pulled off before quickly locking up behind him. 

“Another friend of yours Mr. Oh?’

“Another?” He side eyed his doorman as they walked together to the elevators.

“Yes, I let Sir Seungri upstairs.”

“Ah I see. No, he’s not.”

Just as the elevator made its way to the main level his sweet old doorman started fidgeting like he wanted to ask him a question but didn’t feel like he could.

“Is there something else?” Sehun prompted

“Ah...ah no, no Mr. Oh. I just…I…” 

The poor man couldn’t stop fidgeting and it took everything in Sehun not to laugh.

“You what?”

“If…if it’s not to personal may I ask why you haven’t been on any dates. I never see you bring anyone around besides Mr. Seungri. You’re a handsome young man and someone would be lucky to have you.”

Sehun laughed then. He was no virgin by any means. Any romps within the sheets always happened at the other parties household. The last thing he needed was someone finding a gun under his pillow, a knife that wasn’t part of the kitchen set, or accidentally drinking a toxin that would leave them limp and lifeless. 

“Is there anyone you had in mind?”

Please not Seungri, Sehun thought to himself. An attractive man no doubt but he saw him as nothing more than an older brother and a confidant when it came to his security firm.

“Well that um Prince Kim is a looker. I occasionally see him in the papers and news broadcasts. He seems to be around your age.”

Sehun wasn’t expecting that answer at all.

“Prince Kim huh? Don’t you think that’s a pretty large fish for a small measly man such as myself.”

“Don’t underestimate yourself sir. Plus, you run a security firm. I hear you can never have enough security. I’m sure you’re well aware of that.”

“Fair enough.” Sehun laughed

As Sehun said his goodbyes and went up to his eighth-floor penthouse he did note that Jongin was attractive. Extremely attractive. However, a pretty face and a nice body wasn’t enough to catch him off guard to have him miss out on his pay day. Kim Jongin was going to die. It was only just a matter of when and how.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well well well, what secrets does Oh Sehun carry?

Another day. Another morning. Same routine. Jongin woke up and silently stretched before walking over to his bedroom window and looking out at the sunrise lighting up their front lawn. He wanted so badly to walk the palace grounds. Smell the fresh air. Breathe in the aroma of the flowers. Feel the morning breeze against his skin. Unfortunately, he couldn’t, and he was bitter about it. What was the point of having guards roaming the entire household and its grounds, but he couldn’t experience it? Who would dare to hurt him here anyway? His father just wanted to control him. Always had.

“Asshole,” Jongin grumbled into the silent room.

There was a silent knock on his bedroom door. He was going to ignore it and take his shower but whoever it was knocked again. Heading to the door he lightly pulled it open and looked out into the hallway. It was just a maid.

“Good morning sir.” she lightly bowed at him

“Good morning.”

“I am just here to inform you that your father wanted me to make sure you knew breakfast is promptly at 9:15 and you are not to be late.”

“What if I’m not hungry?”

The maid didn’t answer. Probably not within her “job description.” He hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning and he was hungry, but he did not feel like spending more time with his rancid father than he had to.

Without answering his question, the maid scurried away and left him standing there looking at an empty hallway. Could his life get any more miserable? He didn’t want to run this country. He didn’t want to be golden child. This may be his birthright, but he didn’t want the responsibility. All he wanted from his life was to live it on his own terms. Unfortunately, his father continued to never give him much of a choice in the matter. So, he just continued on. It made his mother happy, so he guessed that was a plus. 

Shutting his bedroom door, he grabbed a towel from the closet and took a shower. He let the hot water release the tension in his shoulders. He rolled his neck, waiting for it to crack. Twisted his torso to also crack his back. It made him feel a little better but not much. He wanted out of this world. Out of this life. He wanted peace. No stress. His daily morning showers were the only stress-free moments he could find. Well aside from sleep. 

Once the water started to turn lukewarm, he finished washing up before stepping out and drying off. He decided today he’d wear a pair of black jeans, his handy converse, and a white V-neck shirt. The sun was finally coming through his window and he let the heat warm up his body before he left his bedroom. He was expecting the hallway to be as empty as it was when the maid stopped by. It wasn’t.

“Do you brood all the time?”

Silence.

“So, no answer?”

Silence.

“It’s like talking to a brick wall. At least Chanyeol and Baekhyun have the decency to say good morning.” he mumbled

Silence.

Jongin really wanted to punch this Sehun guy in his face, but with a flashback he realized how that had ended for him last time. He’d rather not be face planted into a desk again. Or the wall.

Out of the corner of his eye he noted that Sehun was standing against the door of the spare bedroom across the hall from his. Great. Just what he needed. His father was not subtle. Once again, he asked who could hurt him on palace grounds? 

They headed to breakfast in silence. Sehun only a slight step behind him. He had on blue jeans, a black shirt, leather jacket, and his hair was pushed back off his face. Much different than how he saw him yesterday.

“Like what you see?”

Jongin almost stumbled. So, he couldn’t get a “good morning” but he could get that ridiculous question.

“I... I wasn’t even looking at you.” His voice clearly betrayed him but Sehun didn't acknowledge that he even noticed.

Back to silence. 

They made it down to the dining room where his father was sitting at the head and his mother on his right. Jongin sat at the spot across from his mother and much to his chagrin Sehun sat down next to him. He was pretty sure he could eat fucking breakfast without dying. He noted there were two other spots set at the table, which was unusual for them. His silent question was answered when Chanyeol and Baekhyun showed up and sat down as well. In all his years, his bodyguards never ate with the family.

“Nice of you all to join us.” His father said authoritatively.

They all nodded their heads at him. Jongin set his own mind to tune his father out. With that voice he knew he was going to start talking about absolutely nothing that Jongin cared about.

“I called you all here because I wanted to speak about our next outing that is happening. I know we usually hold these meetings in my office, but I figured it would be nice to have a neutral and relaxing environment for our new hire here. Plus, I was hungry. With that being said we have a scheduled dinner this evening with all the important head of countries and their eligible children. This will be the chance for Jongin to mingle and find his partner.”

Jongin heard nothing. He was too busy tapping his fingers on the table to a tune that only he could hear.

“Jongin.”

Continued tapping.

“Jongin!”

Continued tapping.

“KIM JONGIN! ANSWER ME WHEN I SPEAK TO YOU.”

Tapping stopped.

“What father?” Jongin replied in a monotone voice

“We have an important dinner this evening.”

“So, what? Go without me.”

“Jongin, please.” His mother looked at him with pleading eyes.

“Tonight, is the night you are to meet with the daughters of the most important families across the world.”

“So, what! I do not care about any of this father.” 

“YOU WILL DO THIS.”

“It will have to be over my dead body father.”

Without even bothering to wait for breakfast to be served, Jongin got up and stormed out. He had enough of this. He was not going to marry some stuck-up woman from some head family to save face for some country and its politics. That was what his brothers may have done but he was not. His father was just going to have to deal with it.

“How about we go for a walk?”

Sehun had evidently walked up behind him as he stood by the large front doors. Wishing he could escape.

“I can’t. I’m not allowed.” 

He turned to head back upstairs to the confines of his bedroom. That was until a hand grabbed his and walked him right out the front doors. Past the guards who always stood stock still without ever saying a word to him. 

“What’s the worst that can happen? I am your bodyguard after all.”

"Ha! Tell that to my father.”

Despite his fathers constant warnings running in his head, Jongin headed outside with Sehun next to him. The sun had fully risen, and he just stood at the front of the steps and let the sun consume him. It was warm against his cheeks. It was heating up his insides. He could feel the wind lightly kiss his skin. His hair blowing across his face. The feeling was even more beautiful than what he imagined from his dungeon or room. Whichever fit the description best.

“You know, you seem familiar.” Jongin said without opening his eyes

“Hmm… is that so?”

“Yeah. Well not you specifically but your surname. It sounds like I know it.”

Silence.

Finally, Jongin opened his eyes and turned to look at Sehun. However, his expression did not betray him. His stoic face remained. He didn’t know what he was expecting though. Side by side they walked across the gravel path that led them across the palace lawn. They walked in silence past the tennis courts in the back and through a maze of shrubbery that opened to a large pond with a fountain in the middle. The cool breeze from the water swooped across Jongin’s face and he took in a deep breath. Taking it all in he didn’t know when he would get this chance again. It brought him a sense of calm.

“Are you going to continue?”

Jongin internally jumped. During his lost thoughts and sense of calm he forgot that Sehun was still standing next to him. There was a slight space between them but he felt engulfed by the body next to him. His aura was so strong that it almost intimidated him.

“I didn’t think you would be interested.”

“I am.”

Silence.

So Jongin continued.

“It was about 20 years ago, I was about 5 or 6 years old. I didn’t want to do my “prince lessons” so I used to explore every nook and cranny of this palace. While my brothers were doing their studies like good little sons that they are I was off doing everything that I wasn’t supposed to. So, one day, I found a new passage and I had no idea where it led until I was over my fathers study. I always wondered what he did in there. What did the King of South Korea do all day? I could see through a vent in the ceiling that he was meeting with some man. He was tall, had wide set shoulders, and deep-set eyebrows. He also looked like a frown was permanently etched on his face.”

Jongin heard Sehun chuckle softly before he caught himself and sombered up. 

“Anyway, I remember them talking about things I didn’t even remotely understand. Something about women, money, weapons. Those were the only words I really caught, which I now understand to be prostitution, money laundering, and drugs. Now what would the King of Korea want with something like that?”

He turned to Sehun with an inquiring face. Once again, his face never betrayed him. His face was seemingly always a stoic mask. Unwavering.

“Why are you here Oh Sehun?”

Silence.

Jongin knew there was more to where Sehun came from. He wasn’t stupid and he had a feeling that the man in question would never be caught unawares. Last time he even heard the name Oh was in the papers when some “big fish” got sentenced to fifty years in prison. If Sehun was really that mans son, then was he truly here as his bodyguard or was he just taking up the mantle for his father? He was not about to become a pawn in some game that he didn’t understand. His father can be the dirty prick that he was but Jongin wasn’t going to be put in it. Not while he was alive and breathing anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your comments. I really enjoy reading them and even if I don't always respond I do see them. Enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Does everyone in this family have skeletons in their closet?

Standing in silence next to Jongin, Sehun didn't know what to say to this new revelation. He knew his father was definitely no saint but he didn't realize that he had dealings with the king. What an interesting turn of events. Now the son was in bed with the same man that his father apparently knew all to well. Reaching back into the memories of his childhood he thought of all the times his father would disappear during the day on his secret "meetings." He never knew what they were and Sehun never bothered to even ask. The mafia life was something he was not interested in. How ironic his life had turned out to be though. Somehow becoming Seoul's most dangerous man by night and protecting its security systems by day.

"Are you not going to answer my question?" Jongin asked

No. No he wasn't. Not because he didn't want to but because he really didn't have much of an answer. Well, technically that was false he did have an answer to why he was here. He just couldn't say.

"Let's just go back inside." That was all Sehun could bother to respond with.

So, without waiting to see whether or not Jongin was behind him, Sehun started heading back inside. On his way he thought of all the times his father might have walked through these exact halls. How many times had he been here? What kind of dealings did he have? He wished maybe he had paid more attention to these things as a kid. The most he learned was from his father’s guards about how to handle guns, hand to hand combat, knife wielding, and different poisons. So he guessed maybe this was the life he was meant to lead. He wasn't much better than his own damn father. Tragic. However, the one thing he did do better than his father was not get caught. Something he learned on his own over time.

"I'm sorry."

The voice that entered his distant thoughts startled him. Something he was not used too.

"What?" he said without looking over.

"I said I'm sorry."

"Mm."

He didn't know what Jongin was apologizing for so he didn't know what to say in response. He was a man of few words. They continued on in silence. When they reached the front steps, the doors opened wide and they walked up together. The guards said nothing to them and they headed back to the dining room where everyone was still seated. The man in charge however, did not look happy. He was sitting at the head of the table with his hands clenched and to Sehun's trained eye he was shaking in anger. He knew from the previous blow up barely 15 minutes ago that Jongin's father was not done with him. Not by a long shot.

"DO NOT EVER WALK AWAY FROM ME LIKE THAT AGAIN," his father shouted as him and Jongin walked through the dining room doors.

He felt Jongin jump against him but he could tell he tried to hide it from his father. With a false sense of bravado, he plopped down in the nearest chair. Sehun stood slightly to the side, behind Jongin and didn’t say a word. He held his stoic composure as Jongin took his father’s lashing in silence. He surprisingly felt bad for him. This was clearly not a life he signed up for or wanted. Another dose of irony that he was here to kill him. Save him from his own misery. 

“When I tell you that you’re going to do something you WILL do it. No questions asked. No comments. Do I make myself clear?”

Sehun looked down at Jongin who was slumped in his chair playing with his fingernails. He was waiting for him to speak up as was everyone else in the room. Sehun figured he was mulling over the best options in his head. Sort of reminded him a bit of himself when he stalked his targets. He had a feeling the only difference was Jongin was about to go a very dangerous route. 

“Father, with all due respect. Fuck you.”

Sehun quietly but sharply inhaled. That was certainly not what he was expecting and clearly neither was his father. He had jumped so hard out of his chair that it slammed to the floor behind him. He was now storming towards where Jongin was still seated. Without thinking Sehun felt himself move a bit forward in a protective manner. This was unlike him. He did not feel very often and especially not for his targets. What was he doing?

“Excuse me?” 

Jongin’s father was in his face now. 

“You heard me. I am not repeating myself.” 

Jongin started to stand up but before he could raise to his full height, his father shoved him back into the chair. He started to raise his hand to slap him but Sehun reached out and grabbed it before it could cross his face. He might regret that move later but slapping his son was not going to get him the answer he wanted.

“Sir, how about we take a breather and talk about this calmly?” Sehun’s hand was still clasped tightly around King Kim’s wrist and he slowly lowered it to the table before letting go. Jongin had now fully stood up and whether consciously or subconsciously came to stand behind Sehun.

The wrath wasn’t over yet. The target had only changed.

“I own you Oh Sehun. You are just here to protect my son. You will do best to remember that and not get in our family affairs. I will destroy you if you go against me. ”

Sehun almost laughed at the “I own you,” part. No one owned him. He was his own person. Did what he thought was right. Always. No amount of money could alter his own twisted sense of right and wrong. 

“I would like to see you try, sir.” 

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s anything you would like it to be.” And it was. Sehun could change his statements to fit whatever situation he was in. It was up to the person in question and he would always oblige.

“You should learn to be more like your father.”

Sehun was almost certain that statement was not meant to come out. King Kim had turned fully white. He was one shade away from becoming a ghost. The room had become even more tense than it was before.

“And what’s that like? In prison for life? If you want me to be more like him I wouldn’t be here right now PROTECTING your son. Or is there something else you expected of me?”

He was testing the man now. Sehun had no problem changing his target last minute. He’d survive missing out on a good three million dollars. It’s not like he was strapped for cash. 

“Okay, okay. Let’s all take a breather. Jongin just do this dinner tonight. It’s only a few hours.” Chanyeol said. Baekhyun had come next to him and pulled Jongin out of the room.

During this entire interaction Jongin’s mother had yet to say a single word.

Chanyeol had now left his own seat and came around to lightly bring the king out of the room.

“We’ll finish this later.” Chanyeol grumbled on his way out.

In the tense silence Sehun counted his breathing. He needed to clear his head because he almost lost his composure. Not many could bring themselves to test him like that. The king was in for a rude awakening if he genuinely thought he made the rules here. Don’t bring an assassin into your house and tell them you own them. They will be in their right mind to switch up and kill everyone living under the same roof. No regret. No remorse. 

“I knew you looked familiar.”

Sehun looked out of his peripheral to see the queen coming towards him. She’d been so quiet this whole time he forgot she was even still here.

“What?”

“I said I knew you looked familiar,” she was standing next to him now.

“Is that so?”

“Mm...you remind me so much of your father. Tall. Handsome. Commanding. Dangerous.”

How often did this family see his father? How much did they know about him exactly? First Jongin. Now his mother. At this point, it seemed they knew more about the infamous mafia boss than his own son did.

“You sound as if you know my father. Personally.”

Sehun fully turned and looked at the woman and angled an eyebrow towards her.

“Uh..I..it’s complicated.”

“Well uncomplicate it.”

He was waiting. She was not speaking. 

“No answer?”

Sehun turned to leave. Enough of this bullshit and talking in circles. He didn’t play games. He created them. Before he could fully turn around and exit a small hand reached out and grabbed him.

“Wait! Please.” The queen was pleading with him. The look in her eyes startled him.

“I knew...no I know your father. That’s all you need to know.”

“Hm. That’s it?”

He shrugged out of her hold and turned to walk away again. However, that hand reached out and stopped him. Again.

“No. For now that’s all you need to know. What I will tell you is that he said that if I ever needed anything to ask for his son.”

Sehun was really confused now. From Jongin’s point of view it sounded like the king just knew his father from doing shady deals. However, from his mother’s point of view she seemed to be speaking from that of a friend. A lover, maybe?

“Ma’am I haven’t talked to my father since I was 18? What could he possibly tell you about me that would make that statement even relatively important?”

“He’s told me some umm things about you?”

“What kind of things?”

As far as Sehun knew, his father thought he disappeared. Left Seoul. Something told him he was about to be in for another surprise. This family really knew how to catch him off guard.

“Once again, he told me if I ever needed anything I was to seek you out. It was just a coincidence that you walked straight through my front door.”

Sehun was growing impatient. Could she fucking spit it out already?

“Termination 94.”

The whole world around him stopped. Time stood still. He felt like he could hear his heartbeat in his ears. How did she know that term? Before he separated himself from his father, that was a term he had been taught to remember. He never knew why, and he didn’t ask. There were some things he never argued with his father over. That code was one of them. It was something he kept in the back of his mind but made sure it was everywhere in his life. However, he never figured that they would be spoken to him by anyone other than his father.

“How do...how do you know about that?”

“Because. It is what I told your father for when I wanted someone dead.”

The world moved even slower.

“And who is it that you want dead?”

“My husband.”

Sehun almost choked. Before he spoke he waited and mulled over his own options. 

“Hypothetically speaking, if I agree, you will tell me everything about you and my father.”

“Fine,” with zero hesitation the queen agreed.

Well, his time here was about to get even more interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well let's all say hello to mommy dearest shall we?
> 
> Thank you all for your comments. I am glad you're enjoying this so far and I'm having fun writing it! I apologize that updates are pretty sporadic but I appreciate you all sticking through it with me :D


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the plot thickens...

He was so sick of feeling stifled in this damn household. He wanted out and he wanted out like yesterday. Like he has stated numerous times before he was not going to marry some stuck up princess of some ridiculous ass country that he had no intention of running. No. Just no. His father was going to have to figure something else out because this just wasn’t going to work for any of them. What was this arranged marriage bullshit anyway? Who thought this would be a genius idea? Last he checked this was the 21st century not the 15th century? Did they even have monarchies dating back that far? He thought so.

“Jongin.”

From his special hiding spot he knew that was Baekhyun approaching him. He could hear the tentativeness in his voice. That was just how Baekhyun was. Any time they talked he was always calm and comforting to him. Never addressed him forcely or made him do things that he didn’t feel like doing. This was one thing he never understood about Chanyeol and Baekhyun. How well they functioned with one another. Chanyeol was brute and very forward. The type that got everything done by any means necessary no matter the cost. That was far from how Baekhyun went about things. He would approach with a sort of stealth. Map all his options out before choosing the best one. That was probably why he was approaching Jongin the way he was right now. After that blow up downstairs he wasn’t sure how he was going to react.

“Yes, Baekhyun.”

“Are you okay?”

He was standing next time him on the balcony overlooking the back lawn.

“Not entirely but I guess I have to be if I want to survive this damned dinner tonight.”

They stood in silence. Jongin figured that Baekhyun had something on his mind but was waiting for the right time to ask him. One thing he had was time so he didn’t mind waiting until the other man was ready. So, together they stood side by side as the sun beat down on their faces. From where he was standing he could see that his mother was walking with Sehun. This was new. Ever since he started, the seemingly cold blooded man had been stuck to him like velcro. As much as it grated his nerve he sort of missed his shadow. Thinking back to when his father was berating him, he found comfort in having Sehun there. When he caught his father's hand from smacking him across the face he felt something stir inside him that he never felt before. A sort of warmth that enveloped him. It made him wonder if Chanyeol or Baekhyun would have protected him from his father the way Sehun had. He thought not, if he was being honest with himself. As long as they had been his bodyguards, not once had they went to bat for him. They always bent to the man’s will but it was understandable considering his father wrote their checks. So, what was different about Sehun? Why was he willing to do what the other two never had? This revelation had him wanting more of Sehun around. Not that he would ever admit that out loud and that was nothing against Chanyeol or Baekhyun. Honest.

“Jongin, what is it that---”

“KIM JONGIN DO YOU CARE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THAT WAS?” Chanyeol’s booming voice completely cut off whatever Baekhyun was about to ask him.

“Chanyeol, please lower your voice.”

“No! B, I need an answer from him. I am getting sick of this pretentious bullshit of his.”

“He’s not pretentious and you know it. He just knows what he wants and is not willing to stand for anything outside of that.”

“Exactly. Pretentious. Or do I need to spell it out for you?”

“I think we need to revisit the definition of pretentious here.”

“Don’t patronize me B.”

“I’m not.”

“Uuuhhh….can we stop talking like I’m not here? You asked me a question Chanyeol but neither of you gave me the option to answer.”

They both turned to look at him with expectant eyes. Of course, he didn’t have much of an answer for Chanyeol’s question but he was getting tired of their incessant bickering. He wasn’t used to seeing them go at each other like this. Them arguing wasn’t new to him, however, but they never did it where he could see. He usually would overhear it from their room when he would go on his walks throughout the house. 

“Well, what’s your goddamn answer for that!”

“Chanyeol.” Baekhyun just said his name matter-of-factly. 

“I said what needed to be said and I’m done with it. I’ll do the stupid dinner but I am in no way entertaining a marriage. That’s that on that. Understood?”

“But your father wants---.”

“I know what my father wants and quite frankly I do not give two single flying fucks about it. Now drop it.”

“Jongin---”

“Park Chanyeol, I said drop it. You may be older than me but let us not forget that as much as I hate that bastard, my father writes your checks. We both know he has no issue dropping my bodyguards unceremoniously. So, if you want to keep your job then I advise you to shut your damn mouth.”

Jongin was done with this conversation and he was done with them. Randomly, he thought he just wanted Sehun next to him. Even if they said nothing to each other he just wanted to be in the man’s presence. It was a thought that both scared him and comforted him. He barely knew this man and what he was capable of yet wanted to be completely surrounded by him.

“Chanyeol, let’s go. We can revisit this later. Right now he needs his space.”

Jongin gave Baekhyun a silent thank you as he took Chanyeol off the balcony and took him he presumed back to their shared room.

\--

They walked in silence until they made it back to their room. Baekhyun learned the hard way not to approach the larger man while he was like this. He could feel the heat of anger radiating off of him as they walked together. It was not unusual for them to get in spats over Jongin but never in front of him. That was new and he didn’t understand why Chanyeol came barging in like he did. When they made it inside, Chanyeol sat on the edge of the bed and Baekhyun walked in between his legs. He felt large hands fall on his waist and his head drop against his chest.

“Babe, why are you so upset with him?”

Chanyeol didn’t answer but he felt him start to slide his hands to his backside and caress his ass. He knew what he wanted now. When he got like that the best way to get his release was to let it out on Baekhyun. It was rough, loud, and hard but he wouldn’t have it any other way. They had already had slow and sensual sex as soon as they woke up this morning but that wasn’t going to stop either one of them now. Lifting a finger to Chanyeol’s chin he brought his face towards him and slowly brought their lips together. The moment they touched he felt his body get warm. He reacted to him from the inside out and it became fireworks amongst them. Sliding his tongue forward he was soon granted entrance and he moaned deeply into the others mouth. As their mouths stayed together, Baekhyun started to unbutton Chanyeol’s shirt. He wanted to touch him. Feel him underneath his fingertips. Getting frustrated with the buttons he ripped the shirt open aggressively to reveal Chanyeol’s toned body. Baekhyun was always impressed by how much muscle the man hid under his clothes. To the outside world he could be a bit unassuming. Tall and lean. A soft face with big expressive eyes. His ears stood out the most, and with his cute dimple popping out when he smiled really large; he was the least likely person to be a dangerous shoot to kill bodyguard. However, Baekhyun knew better. When he ran his fingers across Chanyeol’s pecs he flexed under him. Their mouths had yet to detach, it had only gotten deeper.

“Let me see you. All of you.” Baekhyun whispered when they finally pulled apart.

Chanyeol slid the rest of the way out of his shirt and tossed it somewhere across their massive room. He went to shrug off his pants as Baekhyun started undoing his own clothing. His eyes never left Chanyeol’s and you could see the lust and love returned tenfold. The sexiest man that he’d ever laid eyes on was on full display in front of him.

“Come here,” that deep voice sent shivers down Baekhyun’s spine.

Climbing onto the bed, Baekhyun made himself comfortable right on Chanyeol’s abdomen. He hadn’t gotten out of his pants yet but that didn’t seem to bother the man beneath him in the slightest. Bending his head, he kissed Chanyeol’s chest before latching his mouth onto his right nipple. While his mouth was busy his hand never failed to neglect the other bud and he started twisting and tweaking it in between his fingers. That elicited another moan from the man beneath him and it shook him too his core. Chanyeol’s large hands hand found there way into his pants and was kneading and massaging his cheeks equally. Every once in awhile a finger would ghost over his hole and Baekhyun would shiver.

“I want you. Please get inside of me.”

Chanyeol didn’t have to be directed twice. With lightning fast reflexes he flipped Baekhyun on to his back and was dragging his pants down his legs without even bothering to unbutton them. He might have to get a new pair after this. He could see that Chanyeol was achingly hard and that served to turn him on even more. The fun part hadn’t even begun yet but he was more than ready to get his body ravaged. Grabbing both of his legs Chanyeol pulled Baekhyun to the edge of the bed and wrapped his legs around his shoulders. It was an uncomfortable position for Baekhyun’s neck but he loved the way that large tongue of Chanyeol’s ate him out from this angle. It somehow got deeper than he could possibly imagine.

“How do you get more beautiful by the day?”

“The same could be said for you, big man.”

Chanyeol smirked at that. With his legs, Baekhyun pulled Chanyeol’s head closer to his entrance so he could get on with the program. Using light touches he kissed his way down his legs before he lapped at his glistening hole. Baekhyun arched off the bed and his hands fisted in the sheets. He felt Chanyeol’s hand lightly push him back down but his mouth never left him. He sucked and licked at his entrance as he writhed under him.

“I’m going to come.”

“But you won’t though.”

Baekhyun had went to grab his cock in his hand but Chanyeol swatted him away. He was so close to the edge he wanted to come. He needed to come. This would be the first of many orgasms so why not get the first one out the way?

“Baby, please let me come.” he was begging now

Baekhyun was twitching and his cock was throbbing. This was torture, yet Chanyeol was still attached to his entrance and he seemed like he had zero intentions of stopping. Well that was until everything actually did stop. Chanyeol pulled back, his legs dropped to the bed, and there was cold air blowing through his now sucked out hole. 

“You want to come from a toy or my cock? Take your pick?” Chanyeol asked the question but there was still a commanding tone to his voice

He couldn’t answer that yet. His hand was wrapped around his cock as he pumped himself to an orgasm. It didn’t matter to him that Chanyeol had told him that he wasn’t going to, but he was in pain. The release was inevitable.

“Tsk...tsk...You disobeyed me. So I guess that’s my answer.”

Just as Baekhyun released on his hand and over his stomach with a loud groan, he watched from heavy eyelids, Chanyeol rummaging through their nightstand. When he came back he had a red dildo in one hand and lube in another. It was just about an inch or two smaller than Chanyeol’s size, obviously not as good as the real thing, but if this was how the rest of this session was going to go then he would suffer the consequences of coming without Chanyeol’s permission.

“I really wanted to come inside you, B. I wanted to release in your mouth, on your stomach, in your hands, on your face. This was going to be long and rough. You took that from me, babe. Now you suffer with a weak ass excuse for a cock inside you.”

Even though Baekhyun had just come, the way Chanyeol was talking to him brought him to a hardness once again. Reaching up with a somewhat limp arm he took the lube from Chanyeol’s hand. Coating his middle and ring finger with the fragrant strawberry lube, he brought them down to his entrance and slowly pushed them inside. Chanyeol’s tongue had slightly opened him up but not enough to get the dildo inside him without hurting himself. He languidly fucked himself on his fingers, occasionally brushing over his sweet spot which caused him to moan. His fingers were long and slender and usually got the job done, but there was nothing like Chanyeol’s thick fingers prepping him. With his head now having lulled to the pillow and his mouth agape, Baekhyun started to scissor himself open. Chanyeol had yet to take his eyes off him and he hadn’t even dared touch himself. How was he holding back so well when he knew he needed this release just as much as Baekhyun did. 

“Yeol, please get inside me.”

All Chanyeol did was raise an eyebrow at him without uttering a single word. Instead, he handed Baekhyun the dildo.

“Go fuck yourself.”

Ha! Talk about a double entendre with that statement.

“You know you want me, Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun saw him move just a little before he stopped himself. He didn’t want the damn dildo, he wanted Chanyeol’s cock to tear him open.

“Your fingers are better than mine. Come over here and add one.”

Again, Chanyeol twitched but remained standing at the foot of the bed.

“I want that big cock of yours in my mouth. Inside me. Everywhere. Deep. Hard. Strong.”

Now, Chanyeol was just frozen but Baekhyun knew he almost had him. He had yet to touch the dildo and he was still pumping himself on his fingers. He was well past prepped by now but he was going to get that cock inside of him if it was the last thing he did.

“Look at you all hard and leaking. You know you want your come dripping out of me.” 

That did it.

Chanyeol rushed forward, nearly knocking the wind out of him. He had shoved his legs so wide he thought he heard one of his hips pop. His legs were entangled above his head now and Chanyeol played at his entrance before slamming right in. Baekhyun’s eyes rolled in the back of his head as the large cock inside of him ghosted near his sweet spot time and again. He knew he was purposely missing it. This was his punishment. He got him inside of his slick heat but he had to pay the price of not coming again when he wanted.

“Gosh, you’re always so tight for me B.”

That deep voice rumbled against him. He was moving non-stop on top of him and the headboard was starting to shake against the wall. Their moans were starting to mix together. 

“You will come untouched this time. Do I make myself clear.”

All Baekhyun could do was moan in response. He felt himself reaching his next climax and his body subconsciously clenched around Chanyeol which caused the man to stutter in his movements. He was caught off guard for a few seconds, moving erratically, before he found his rhythm again and continued slamming into him. They were both so close. Their breathing was rushed and loud. If there was a room next to there’s they for sure would hear them at this point. It was a wonder the whole palace couldn’t hear them to be quite honest.

“KEEP IT DOWN WOULD YOU.”

Well, apparently the whole palace could hear them. Or maybe Jongin was just going on one of his daily strolls. Too bad he didn’t completely ruin the mood because a few minutes later, Chanyeol exploded inside of him, pulled out, and then finished on his face. He then took Baekhyun in his mouth and swallowed his come when he was done.

They plopped down next to each other, completely spent. Baekhyun was nuzzled under Chanyeol’s chin and their legs were entangled together. 

“You never answered my question.”

“What was it again?”

“Why are you so upset with Jongin? He’s just trying to stay afloat here under his father’s constant and watchful eye. The last thing he needs is you yelling at him.”

“It’s just---.” Chanyeol struggled to finish the sentence. It was like he was wrestling with a decision he made and is now suffering the consequences.

“Just what?”

“Nothing. Let’s just drop it and get through this dinner tonight.”

“Okay.” Baekhyun responded softly

He had a bad feeling about this. Baekhyun could usually read Chanyeol like an open book but right now he was so closed off to him, he didn’t know where to even begin. This pit forming in his stomach told him that something was going to happen either tonight or in the near future and Chanyeol would be directly involved. He was hoping he would be wrong about this but his gut feeling has never failed him. Not yet, anyway.

Time would only tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So where does everyone go from here? Do we trust Chanyeol?


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah have we arrived to meet a new player??

He was watching. Always watching. He knew what went down in that palace probably better than the people who actually lived there. He knew that his former “family” was living in ignorant bliss. The prince was miserable. Always being berated by his father. He knew the queen was bringing in some side dishes through the secret passages and tunnels that connected each wing. Lastly, he knew that the king’s “business dinners” were actually him going to a brothel. So, with that knowledge he knew taking down the Kim Dynasty would be a walk in the park. As long as everybody did what they were told, when they were asked, then everything would go to plan. Just how he needed it to be. 

“He’s here.”

His partner and trustworthy trigger man, informed him that his associate for tonight’s festivities was waiting.

“Bring him in.”

In silence, he walked over and opened the office door. Behind the mahogany door revealed a tall man, with black hair, a pin striped suit hugging him fittingly, and black loafers. Under closer scrutiny, one could tell the man was packing some heat. Just what he needed.

“Hello Mr. Choi. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance. From my trusted confidant here, I have heard a lot about you.”

“Yet, I know nothing of you. Not even a first name.” stated Mr. Choi

“That is unimportant. All you need to know is that I will pay you a gorgeous sum of money to take out a very important person.”

“Define ‘gorgeous sum’.”

“That depends on if you accept the job.”

“Tell me the target and then you’ll have your answer.”

“Fair enough. The target is Prince Kim Jongin.” 

“Ha! You can’t be serious.” Mr. Choi responded incredulously

“Do I look like I am joking? You can take the job or leave. If you leave, however, it will not be of your own free will. I hope you understand that.”

“So what you’re saying is either take the job or die?”

“If that is how you choose to interpret that, then yes.”

“Fine. But how do you plan on taking out the Prince of Korea?”

“Well, Mr. Choi that is the smartest couple of words that has left your mouth since the beginning of this meeting. I hear that you are an expert marksman and you specialize in long distance kills.”

“In other words, a sniper.”

“Yes, amongst other things. Now if you could please stop interrupting me before I have my trigger man shoot you in between the eyes.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s considered a sign of weakness. Can we proceed now?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, so tonight the Kim’s are going to a special dinner where the lovely young Prince is scheduled to meet his future wife. You will hit him there.”

“Amongst all those people. That’s risky.”

“Well considering you’re pretty much a ghost then this shouldn’t be a problem. Would it?”

“No. But---”

“Then it’s settled. The dinner starts promptly at 7:00pm. Do you have all your materials that you need with you?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, my driver will take you to the hotel where everything is being held. We will speak about payment when the job is finished.”

Being smart enough to not utter another word, Mr. Choi turned around in his thousand dollar Gucci loafers and sauntered out of the room. 

“He’s right you know?”

“About what, Yixing?”

“This is risky. Entire heads of countries are going to be there tonight. If this goes down then they will never step foot back in this country again.”

“And that concerns me, why?”

“It doesn’t but---”

“Exactly. So, everything shall continue according to plan. Now let’s go.”

Together they headed out to where their car was waiting for them. They had a little bit of shopping to do before they found a seat for tonight’s special entertainment. He wasn’t going to miss this for the world.

\--

 

The imagery of Chanyeol and Baekhyun was really not something he needed, with his current state of mind. Unfortunately, for him he heard the banging of a bed against the walls as well as obscene moans while he was walking throughout the house. They were lucky they were pretty much the only occupied room in the wing but that didn’t mean everybody on this side of Korea needed to hear them. 

Time had managed to get away from him. After he spent hours just relaxing in his happy spot, overlooking the lawn with the sun beating down on his face; a maid came and told him it was time to get ready. He was absolutely dreading tonight. This was the last place he wanted to be. He’d never even heard of half of these families, let alone seen their daughters. At least one of them had to be pretty if they were good enough to be presented to him as his future wife. That sounded so disgusting when he thought about it. A woman just being “presented” to a man. IN 2019 NO LESS! Just cruel. She deserved better than him and better than his entire family. One thing he’ll never understand is how his older brothers never saw anything wrong this. Never wanted out of this life. At this point he was starting to think he was adopted. Not once in his life did he ever think he fit in with this family. He never wanted to be a prince but you can’t help what you’re born into.

“Are you ready?”

There he was. The man he wanted to hear. To see. To feel. He had been waiting all day just to be back in the presence of Sehun. After, seeing him go back inside the palace with his mother, they hadn’t crossed paths. He knew he was in the house but he never bothered seeking him out. Somewhere, in the back of his mind he knew that the man in question would never leave. He found comfort in that. Even though he probably knew he would get hurt by all of this in the long run. People never stayed in his life long enough for anything to blossom and if they did he ended up being disappointed. Maybe, Sehun would be different but he wasn’t going to bet his arranged marriage on that. For now, he would just enjoy him being his shadow.

“Wow.”

Jongin was flabbergasted. He didn’t think it was possible for Sehun to look even better than any other time he’d seen him. The man was wearing an all black suit that was almost the color of midnight, with a black turtleneck underneath, silver cufflinks, a silver Rolex, and black patent leather shoes. His hair was pushed back off his face, with a slight side part and loose strands hanging down right near his eyebrow. There was no other words to describe him other than ethereal.

“Once again I ask; like what you see?”

Jongin just gulped. This was becoming sensory overload. He felt like Sehun was in every fiber of his being and all he was doing was just standing there. Waiting. So, before he passed out he took in a couple of deep breaths and rolled his neck and shoulders. He was going to be okay. 

“Hey, hey, hey Jongin. Are you okay?”

He was in front of him. Surrounding him. Softly asking him if he was okay. He was going to faint.

“Shhh...just breathe through it. In and out. Slowly.”

Sehun’s hand was now making circles on his back and his pointer and middle fingers were feeling for his pulse on his neck. He was too close but yet not close enough. Jongin didn’t know what to do but he was doing his best to follow Sehun’s directions and breathe in and out. He’d somehow managed to make it to the edge of his bed and Sehun was standing over him in between his legs. Before he could stop himself he laid his forehead on his abdomen and continued breathing in through his nose and out his mouth. His hands had latched on to the lapels of Sehun’s suit jacket. It was going to be wrinkled by the time he calmed down but he figured the man wouldn’t mind. 

It took another five minutes before Jongin’s breathing returned to normal. Sehun never stopped rubbing circles on his back and his fingers never left his neck. Despite being overwhelmed by his mere presence, he somehow still managed to find his way back. 

“Come with me.”

Sehun lightly took him by the arm and brought him into the bathroom. He sat him down on the closed toilet seat while he grabbed a washcloth from the closet and ran it under some warm water. Under a watchful eye, Jongin saw Sehun wring out the wash cloth before turning the water off. Walking towards him he tilted his face upwards and lightly dabbed the warm washcloth over his neck before dabbing each of his cheeks and then his forehead. When he was done he ran it under the water again, this time with cold water. He repeated the process but this time only slightly slower.

“What did you talk about with my mother earlier?”

Sehun paused before resuming running the cloth over his neck again.

“Okay, so back to not answering my questions. That’s okay.”

Jongin was slightly disappointed that he could only get Sehun to open his mouth when the other man deemed it necessary to ever actually answer him. It was frustrating but he wasn’t going to admit that out loud. Once again, he would settle for just him being here. He should be used to this by now. Everyone around him ignoring his entire existence. Only speaking to him when they wanted to yell at him. And then there’s his mother who barely acknowledges his existence on a good day and when she does it’s usually to tell him to respect his father. Trash. Everyone around him was utter trash. When would he have the guts to just run away and never look back? He didn’t know where he would go but literally anywhere was better than this.

“Are you better now?”

He was.

“I guess. Let’s just go and get this the hell over with.”

Jongin stormed past Sehun without looking back. The man was going to follow anyway so there was no reason to wait. He was mad but what was new? He knew the moment he had to face all these women that he’d beg to be back in Sehun’s silent presence. Until that moment came, he was going to silently fume at everything and everyone around him.

“Welcome back to the land of the living Jongin.”

“You two done fucking for the day or no?” He spit back at Chanyeol

“Uh---well---.”

“I take that as a no. Well, next time can you please not wake up the entire continent of Asia? Thanks.”

Before Chanyeol or Baekhyun could even respond, he shoved past them and went downstairs. His parents were waiting for him at the bottom of the steps. His mother was wearing a floor length, sequined gold dress, with tiny slits on both sides of the dress. While his father had on a simple black suit with a gold tie to match his mother's dress. Clearly, he didn’t get the color scheme memo because he was wearing an all silver suit, with a white shirt, black vest and tie, with black and silver patent leather shoes. He had shaved down the sides of his hair again, giving himself an undercut, and dyed it back to black from his former silver.

“Jongin, dear you don’t match.”

“Well, obviously mother. No one cared to tell me what the color of the evening was.”

“Regardless, you look dashing.”

His father had said nothing. Probably still mad from earlier. Oh well, he couldn’t give a single fuck at this point.

“Let’s go before we’re late.” Jongin’s father grumbled out

Together, they all headed to the three all black limos waiting outside. They never rode together because for whatever reason, if someone decided to attack the royal convoy then all wouldn’t be lost. Jongin walked to the front limo with Chanyeol, Baekhyun, and Sehun behind him. While his mother took the middle with her bodyguards, and his father took the back one.

“Sehun, would you mind coming here for a second,” he heard his mother say and he slid into the backseat. Without sparing a backwards glance, Jongin took his spot in the limo as Sehun walked over to his mother.

“Yes ma’am.”

“I just wanted to tell you to please protect my son at all costs, tonight. And every night. Underneath all of this I know you are a good man. Keep him safe, from all of this.”

“I understand you, but once he finds out who I really am, he’s not going to want to find safety in me.”

“Don’t be so sure of that. Jongin is a very forgiving man. He cares and he cares hard. Even if it’s at the expense of himself.”

“I will do my best.”

“That’s all I ask of you Sehun. That’s all I ask. Now hurry back, so we can head off.”

Sehun wanted to say more but the queen shooed him off towards Jongin’s limo where he was waiting silently, twiddling his fingers while looking out the window. He turned his neck to look at Sehun but didn’t say anything. Well nothing except for one question.

“What did my mother want?’

Jongin waited, but of course all he received was silence. Can’t say that he was shocked. Not anymore. In order for him to survive this evening he was going to shut off all his emotions. He would go through the motions of pretending to care. Choose some poor woman to wed and call it a night. Piece. Of. Cake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I didn't confuse anyone with the beginning of this chapter! Let's call them a hidden piece amongst all these chess players.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who lives and who dies?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!Trigger Warning!!  
> -mentions of blood  
> -gunshot wounds

They traveled in silence. While Jongin kept his eyes on his window, Sehun had his eyes on him. Jongin never said anything but he would occasionally catch Sehun’s watchful eye through his reflection in the window. He would stare for seconds before looking down at his hands and reshifting his body. Sehun made him nervous and he knew that. While watching Jongin, Sehun thought back to the conversation with his mother. She was clearly a woman of many secrets and so was his own father. According to her, she was put in a position very much like Jongin was about to be. Her marriage to the king was arranged. However, she had fallen in love with his father years ago. Apparently, they had been childhood sweethearts but her family wanted one thing for her and well his father ended up on a whole nother path. But the queen stated she would always trust his father and with a heavy heart she would forever love him. The universe, unfortunately had other plans. All this explains why he never saw his father so much as show an ounce of emotion towards his mother. He walked around grunting towards her and she sat there silently and took it. It made him wonder if she knew that his heart belonged to someone else. What an interesting world that he lives in that years later the son is at the mercy of the woman who his father has probably been pining over even before Sehun was born. He could never imagine loving someone that much. His heart was made of stone and nothing or no one could penetrate that. He would like to say that he learned that from his father but clearly that man’s heart had been taken by another. 

“We have arrived, your highness.”

The driver had turned around from his seat to inform him that they had indeed arrived. The evening’s festivities were to be held at the Paradise City Hotel. They rented out the entire building as important people would be attending and they did not want to run the risk of civilians crashing the party. This was a casino after all, anything could happen when alcohol, women, and money were involved. So, to be on the safe side everything was theirs for the next 4 hours.

Sehun was the first to get out and he surveyed the area as Chanyeol and Baekhyun followed suit behind him. He made note of all the entrances and exits that were within his vantage point. He noted that all the guards surrounding the royal family were carrying double the artillery but it wasn’t noticeable to the naked eye. They were all on watch and from what he could see nothing was out of the ordinary. Turning around he stood next to the open door and waited for Jongin to get out. He had yet to move from his position and seemed to have lost his will to move. Sehun didn’t exactly blame him. If the roles were reversed he wouldn’t want anything to do with something like this. So, with good reason he understood why Jongin was feeling the way that he was.

Before he could stop himself, he got back in the car and shut the door behind him. He barked at the driver to get out and lock the doors. No one was going to enter this car for as long as he and Jongin were still in it.

“Jongin.” he said silently

No response.

The man before him was stiff against the window and he looked absolutely petrified. He was scared to reach out and touch him for fear the man would shut down completely. The normal glowing skin was now turning ghostly and he could see that he was slightly shaking.

“I--I don’t want to do this.” Jongin said, barely above a whisper

“I know you don’t. Trust me when I say I understand.”

“How could you possibly understand? You have free range to date, marry, and fuck anyone you want. I have to be satisfied with someone I barely know. This isn’t right.”

“Jongin.”

“Forget about it. Let’s just go and get this over with.” 

“Wait. Before you go storming out, how about we make a deal. You survive the night and I have to answer any question you want. Truthfully.”

Jongin finally turned his head to look straight into Sehun’s eyes. He could tell he was searching to see if Sehun was just trying to play him but his face betrayed zero emotion. 

“How do I know that you’ll answer truthfully?”

“You don’t. I am a man of my word though.”

Sehun waited. Jongin waited. Sizing each other up.

“Any question?”

“Anything you want to know.”

“Deal. I survive, you answer.”

Sehun reached out his hand for Jongin to shake. The man before him looked like he contemplated it before sliding his warm hand into his. He squeezed it tightly before jumping back. Jongin had started to open the door from his side but Sehun reached across him and wrenched back to shut it.

“Nuh uh uh, you don’t step anywhere without me. Got it?”

Sehun opened his door, noted that Chanyeol and Baekhyun were standing on either side, and the driver was standing at the front smoking a cigarette. He turned around and waited for Jongin to emerge. It took about thirty seconds before the sun-kissed Greek god showed himself.

“Are you finally ready?” Baekhyun asked

“As I’ll ever be.”

Together in a triangle formation with Jongin in the middle they headed inside the Paradise City Casino. The king and queen were already in the vestibule with their own bodyguards when they finally made it inside. All the guards had a quick meeting about evening rotations and 30 minute check-in intervals before walking into the dining room. It had been decorated in colors of royal blue and gold with their family crest as centerpieces on the tables. They were the last to arrive, as expected and everyone politely stood when they entered the room. The Kims were going to sit at a long table facing the front of the room where they would be able to fully see all the important families whose daughters they prepared to be shipped off to Jongin. Everyone was dressed to the nines. Daughters in floor length ball gowns, colors were a variety. Some had their hair up in coiffed buns, others were waist length and straight, while the rest had loose banana curls draping over their shoulders. If Sehun actually gave a damn to find any of them worth his time, he might actually think they were pretty. However, not his type even though he was an equal opportunist. 

“Thank you ladies and gentleman for joining us this evening. My son, is grateful to have you here and will be gracious enough to meet all of your acquaintances. May he leave a good impression with you all, as I hope by the end of tonight’s festivities he will have found a beautiful mate of his own choosing. Now, please let us all eat.” 

After the king’s obnoxious announcement, everyone watched as the family and their guards headed to the front of the room. Sehun was now walking next to Jongin who had somehow made himself smaller and slouched in on himself. He wanted to nudge him and tell him to stand straighter but he didn’t want to risk that he might just bolt at any minute. Silence and patience would be their peace tonight. When they reached the table, Chanyeol and Baekhyun had made the decision to stay at the table with the family, along with one extra bodyguard each for the king and the queen. They would be covered at all times. Sehun would be standing watch by the bar making occasional sweeps of the room and the outside perimeter. There were two guards standing watch outside the doors and throughout the surrounding hallways. Three cars were also parked around the venue at all important exits to make sure no one made their way in or out without proper identification and thorough screening. Tonight would run smoothly if Sehun had anything to say about it. Protecting the prince really was going against everything he was currently being paid to do. However, the king couldn’t possibly think he would be reckless enough to attempt an assassination in front of all these witnesses. He was good but not that good. Anyone who would attempt a job this big would have to be out of their minds.

 

\--  
Everything was set in motion. Siwon was perched on a rooftop building across the street from the casino. He had been laying there checking the wind and his breathing for the past two hours. It had been awhile since he taken a long distance kill, usually getting jobs that were up close and personal. This was just like riding a bike though. Even if you stop for years, you can never forget the feeling of a finger on the trigger while you track a person’s movements through a scope. Which was exactly what he was doing right now. The Prince looked absolutely miserable. Every woman he came across he talked to them like someone was pulling his teeth. He went through the motions, bowing when necessary, faking a smile, and even an occasional hug here and there. He felt kind of bad that he had to kill him. Almost. If anything, he might be saving the poor kid a whole lot of pain and suffering.

“Are we a go?”

A voice came through his earpiece as he continued his watch on the prince. He had moved from the edge of the room to the middle. Currently, talking to a much shorter girl than the last who had long brown hair framing her face. He looked bored out of his mind.

“I have eyes on the prize.”

“Take the shot.”

\--

Sehun was making his second perimeter walk around the dining room, eyes always on Jongin when he saw a glint flash through the massive window. It only took him seconds to register what he was seeing when the window shattered open. 

“EVERYBODY DOWN.”

He hoped his warning wasn’t too late. Leaping over tossed chairs and broken glass he raced to Jongin’s side where the man had dropped to the floor in the middle of the room.

“Are you hit?”

“I don’t think so. What happened?”

“Sniper.”

The only thing on Sehun’s mind was getting Jongin the hell outta this building. Fuck anybody else, he didn’t care how many other important people were in there. Jongin was the only one that mattered. His mother wanted him safe and he was going to do his best to deliver. Another shot rang out, somehow managing to whiz past his head and make a dent in the hardwood floor next to the table leg. Whoever this sniper was, he was good. Even he didn’t think he could make a shot at someone he could barely see.

“Are you sure you’re not hit? Because when I say move you will move. Understood?”

Sehun watched as Jongin scanned over his body, touching the biggest targets to make sure they were all intact. He didn’t see any blood so that was good. He was safe for now. Reaching out he grabbed Jongin’s hand and pulled him under the table. Since they were both tall it was a tight fit but he made sure to make it work. Just as he was about to move another shot came through, right at the edge of his foot.

“Someone find that goddamn shooter.” he grumbled through the earpiece

He was getting pissed off now. If his main goal wasn’t to save Jongin he’d of ran out of the building in a heartbeat and killed the fucker himself.

“Move.”

He pulled Jongin along as they made their way from under the table to behind the bar. On his way, he was counting the seconds it took between each shot. It was about fifteen seconds each between them. This one hit Sehun in the shoulder. He was really angry now.

“Stop that fucking shooter before I shoot you all myself.”

“Are you okay?’

“No. I’m fucking angry but let’s get you the hell out of here before he really kills you or me.”

He pushed Jongin further down the bar, his arm now leaking and pretty much useless at the moment. Good thing it wasn’t his shooting arm or he’d really burn this whole entire place to the damn ground. They made it almost to the door when a fourth shot came through the room. It zoomed right between the two of them and lodged itself into the wall by Jongin’s head. Now he was starting to rethink if this shooter was actually good or Jongin was just damn lucky. These shots were missing him by just millimeters. The last few steps he shoved Jongin through the door. The guards who were supposed to be stationed there were gone, he hoped they were on their way to the shooter. There was a lot of scrambling happening behind him but he all but dragged Jongin along with him. He was going to take him through a back exit because he was almost certain that the shooter was in the front, on top of a building directly across from them. This was also the best cover for them. He’d be damned if he got hit again. The moment he made it to the exit the alarm blared the moment they opened it. He forgot all about emergency exit doors having those. Oh well. He would have them both out of dodge before anyone could come after them again. 

“Fuck.” he grumbled

“What?”

“The two idiots who were supposed to be stationed out here are gone.”

Now he had to hotwire a goddamn car. This was not how he had foreseen this evening going. Fucking hell, if Jongin really did survive tonight then he could ask him a million questions for all he cared. The fact that his deal with Jongin had taken a turn for the literal worst was blowing his mind while he raced them to safety.

“Come on.”

He really needed a stroke of luck right now. There was a parking garage across the street but since they closed down the whole casino for tonight it was a very slim chance that anyone’s car would even be in there. This was a chance he was going to have to take. He scanned the street, looking for a hint that the shooter was still directing his bullets to the dining room before he pushed Jongin into the street and directed him to run to the parking garage. They made it safely but there was nothing for them on the first floor. With his arm still leaking and him losing blood by the second they both raced up the steps to the second floor. Still nothing. He was losing energy and he was starting to feel woozy.

“Stop.”

Jongin stopped where he was running towards the third floor and turned around. Sehun was leaning against a pillar and he was choking on air. He needed to control his breathing before he passed out and Jongin was on his own. He pulled his suit jacket off and ripped at the dress shirt so he could asses the damage. There was a gaping wound in his upper left shoulder. Luckily, it was a through and through but it still hurt like a bitch. This was going to be hell to clean out and stitch up later but he couldn’t bother to worry about that now. He ripped at his shirt and held it out to Jongin.

“Tie me up.”

He just stood there.

“Jongin. I need you to tie me up, NOW!”

Now was really not the time for Jongin to fall in on himself. The shooter could either be long gone or setting his sights on to them once he figured out that they were no longer in the building.

“How do you want me to tie you--it up?” Jongin stumbled over his words.

“The blood flow needs to be stopped. If I lose much more I won’t be any more use to you.”

Jongin grabbed the piece of cloth that he had ripped from his shirt and walked up to Sehun tentatively, hands shaking. While he watched him closely, he continued to concentrate on his breathing. If he had a raging heartbeat then he’d lose blood faster. Which was the last thing they needed right now. With his right hand, Sehun guided Jongin’s hands to his shoulder and directed him on how he wanted it tied up. The air between them was electric but now was not the time to acknowledge it.

“Tighter.” Sehun grunted out

“But I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Jongin. I just got shot. I’m bleeding out. You can’t possibly hurt me more than I already am.”

With that statement, Jongin tightened the makeshift tourniquet against his arm, and Sehun had to bite down on his bottom lip to stop from screaming out. He wriggled his fingers around to find some sensation in them before they continued to look for a car in this massive garage. After what seemed like thirty excruciating minutes, which was probably more like ten; they were able to find an abandoned car on the fifth floor of the ten-story parking garage. It was a four-door all black Mercedes sedan. What kind of idiot leaves that kind of car anywhere; Sehun thought as he walked up to the car. He didn’t expect to find any keys in the car but he checked under each tire hood in hopes of getting lucky. He didn’t. So, his next best option was to hotwire the car. This was about to get interesting because this was a skill he hadn’t used often. Usually, his get away cars were always readily available. Hoping their weren’t alarms attached to the car, he smashed the window with the butt of his gun. Reaching in he unlocked the door and waited for Jongin to slide into the passengers side before getting in himself. 

“Do you know what you’re doing?”

“Ask me that again after I get us out of here.”

He was slightly bothered that Jongin would ask him such a ridiculous question. He wouldn't be looking for a damn car if he didn’t know what he was doing. He also wouldn’t have survived for as long as he did if he didn't know what he was doing. He wouldn’t be considered Seoul’s nighttime ghost if he didn’t know what he was doing. 

Pulling the underside of the steering wheel apart, he searched for the wires that would start this car. When he found what he was looking for he grabbed a knife from an ankle holster and got to work. The wires in this car were a mess so it took him longer than he wanted, for him to find the right ones. When he did, he said a silent prayer and hoped for the best. It took seven tries before the car finally roared to life. Sehun was on the verge of giving up completely and finding another option out of there. He noted that the car’s gas tank was full so he put the car in reverse and sped out of the garage. There was no waiting for Jongin to put on his seatbelt and he jerked around the car for awhile until it leveled out on the last floor and he could get himself secured.

“Put your head between your knees and don’t look up until I tell you.”

This time Jongin didn’t ask questions and did exactly what he was told. Good. Even though his left arm was pretty much numb at this point from lack of blood circulation, Sehun still managed to keep the car steady as he put his gun in his right hand. Here’s to hoping he wouldn’t have to shoot anybody. They just needed a way out. Ramming the car straight through the parking garage lift gate he looked both ways before speeding off into the night. He could see in the rearview mirror that people were still running out of the casino and cars were inches away from running people over in a race to get out as well. Probably to save their own precious crown jewels.

“You can lift your head now.” 

Jongin slowly peaked up from where his head was smashed between his legs. He looked at Sehun before cracking his neck and stoically looking forward. He didn’t say anything. Probably still in a state of shock. 

Sehun drove for miles aimlessly. He was having a debate in his head if he wanted to take Jongin back to the palace or his own place. If they were being followed or tracked in any way the palace was the last place they should go. Even though it was pretty much a fortress it could still be compromised. Especially, if he leads the culprit right to it. No, his place was going to have to do for tonight. It was a fortress in itself because Sehun made it that way. If anyone was going to step foot on his turf they would inevitably die trying. 

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

Hanging a sharp right at the next light he took the back ways to his apartment. He checked his mirrors again to see if they were being tailed at all. They weren’t for now. Sehun let out a huge breath that he didn’t realize he was holding. The night wasn’t over yet. It wouldn’t be until they were safely locked up in his place. His apartment had bullet proof windows, he owned the whole top floor, guns were locked and loaded, and he had state of the art security that he also created. Let’s not forget that he may be Seoul’s nightmare but he did own his own security firm during the day. They’d survive the night just fine.

Ten minutes later, Sehun was coming around the back of his apartments parking garage. He abandoned the car on the street and took the elevator up to the side entrance of the apartment building. He would’ve happily went through the front door but he didn’t need his lovely doorman asking too many questions. So putting in the password that only he knew, he unlocked the door and let Jongin in first before stepping in behind him. He made sure that it was tightly secured once they were in and they took the steps halfway up to his apartment and caught an elevator the rest of the way. They had not shared any words between them but their was still a comfortable silence. Jongin arrived to his apartment door first. As he was the only one on this floor it wasn’t hard to put two and two together to realize which one was his.

“You own the whole top floor?” Jongin asked

“I own this entire building.” Sehun replied nonchalantly 

Jongin stepped aside as Sehun put in his seven-digit security code plus thumbprint identification that would open them to his apartment. When it beeped, he once again let Jongin in first. The lights were motion sensored so as soon as Jongin was far enough into the room the lights came on to illuminate a massive living room. It was a spacious apartment with floor to ceiling windows. He had a bookshelf to the left, his living room with all black leather furniture and a glass center table was straight ahead, his kitchen was diagonally across from the living room with only a long island separating the two, and the bedrooms were in the back down their own hallway.

“You’ve got a nice place.”

“Thanks.”

Sehun just stood by the now re-locked apartment door and watched as Jongin’s eyes continued to scan the apartment. He looked apprehensive, like he was debating if the place he was in was the best place for him to be in that moment. 

“Would you like a drink?” Sehun asked as he headed to his kitchen

“I--I--um--I don’t drink. Uhm, well--I don’t drink often. I’m fine.” Jongin stuttered

“Do, I still make you nervous? You always stutter around me.”

Jongin didn’t answer but Sehun caught the shudder that passed through his body. He was going to chalk that up to the shock that he was probably still experiencing and not Sehun’s presence in itself. 

“Well, if you don’t want a drink I’ll get you some clothes to change into and you can crash in my room. I have to clean out this wound but if you want to shower first I can wait.”

“No! No. Please, I can wait while you clean up. Do you need some help?” Jongin was clearly nervous being there.

“It’s okay. Go rest. My room is the second door on the right. You’re safe here Jongin. No one can hurt you here. Not even me.”

And that was true. Sehun was hired to kill Jongin, but after tonight Sehun was starting to have some reservations about that. Something was off about that shooting. At times, it felt like not only were they aiming at Jongin but Sehun as well. If he were to find out that someone was after him or the king was playing a double cross everybody involved was going to die. He had wiped out whole families before and he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. From this moment forward, Jongin was going to be his first and only priority and if anyone got in his way, may they have a shitload of luck and a prayer on their side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long to update. I didn't forget about it!! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. 
> 
> I also look forward to your comments so please keep them coming :D


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW// - gun and blood at the end of the chapter

"Not even me." What did Sehun mean by that, Jongin thought as he followed Sehun’s directions to his bedroom. As he walked down the hallway he realized that Sehun’s apartment was as intimidating as the man himself. However, he felt a sense of calm and security. It was almost like Sehun’s aura filled up whatever room he was in. Something about him made him intriguing and Jongin could never seem to stop himself from staring occasionally. Even when he was bleeding out in the parking garage he couldn’t help but get lost in his intensity. Jongin knew that Sehun would probably be his demise one day but he was willing to take that chance. Risk his entire being just to be surrounded by that man any chance he got.

“Did you fi--”

Sehun’s voice startled him as he turned around and came face to face with him. He hadn’t realized that he stopped in front of Sehun’s room without bothering to enter.

“Are you okay?”

Jongin could see he was still bleeding and hadn’t cleaned himself up yet.

“Shouldn’t you be asking yourself that question?” he nodded at Sehun’s arm

“Oh yeah. The supplies are in my bathroom. I was just making sure that we were all locked in for the night. Shall we?”

Jongin wasn’t paying any attention. How was Sehun still so beautiful when his once perfectly coiffed hair was loose around his face, his shirt was ripped with buttons missing, and his pants were scraped and torn.

“Jongin. Hello. Earth to Jongin.”

“What? Huh?” he shook himself out of his daydreaming 

“I said, shall we go inside?” 

“Oh, yeah.”

For a few seconds, Jongin’s hand froze over the doorknob before he lightly pushed the door open. The bedroom was everything and nothing that he expected; an exact contrast to what his own bedroom in the palace looked like. The floor was covered in grey carpet, there was a glass bookshelf against the back wall filled from top to bottom with books and encyclopedias, there was a king sized bed directly in the middle of the room, black drapes with a hint of silver lined the floor to wall windows, and a 75-inch TV covered the wall across from the bed with an all black dresser directly beneath it. The room faintly smelled like fresh linens and a scent that was uniquely specific to Sehun. 

Jongin slowly stepped inside, unsure of what to do or where to sit. He didn’t want to mess up Sehun’s clean bed with his dirty clothes but he also didn’t want to rush into the bathroom because he knew Sehun had to still clean up his wound.

“Head into the bathroom and I’ll grab you some clothes.”

“But don’t you want to clean up first?”

“I’ll be fine. Right now you’re more important.”

Jongin noticed where Sehun was nodding to and headed in that direction. He found the bathroom and flipped on the light. It was massive. The entire bathroom was a tannish granite color, with champagne white cabinets, and glass hanging light fixtures over the sinks. A toilet sat next to the cabinets, a glass shower covered half the wall directly across from the sink, and there was a medium-sized stand alone porcelain white jacuzzi bathtub. 

“The clothes might be a bit big on you but I hope they’re okay.”

“Thank you.” he responded softly

Jongin turned around as Sehun handed him what looked like grey sweatpants and a white tank top. When he went to grab the clothes their fingertips brushed against each other and their was a volt of electricity that shot through his body. He jerked where he was standing before he looked down abashedly. Whether or not Sehun felt it or not he’d never know because once again his face never betrayed his emotions. Damn was he a stone-cold killer or something? Absolutely nothing wavered him.

“There’s towels and a washcloth in the cabinet under the sink. I’ll leave you to it.”

Jongin just stood there silently as Sehun grabbed the first aid kit, medicine, alcohol, and a washcloth from under the sink. When he was done he closed the door behind him. Jongin was now alone to swim through his own thoughts and emotions. This was the first moment where he was able to sort through everything that happened that night. Was it really that night? Only a mere few hours ago? It seemed so foreign to him now. Months, maybe even years away. He felt like he aged fifty years. Why would someone want to kill him? Who would put all those other people at risk just to get to him? He was worth more alive than he was dead, so what was the reason? He just stayed in the palace minding his own business. Never crossed anyone. Never treated anyone as lesser than. Anyone he met he always treated them with kindness and respect even if the same was not given to him in return. Now it seemed he had to live his life by the seat of his pants. Just when things couldn’t get worse for him. Why was it so hard for him to just live in peace? Peace from his overbearing father. Peace from his mother who struggled under the scrutiny of his father. Peace from royalty. Peace from having to meet the expectations of others. Just one day was all he asked and he couldn’t even get that. 

After flying through the overflow of emotions, Jongin stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the shower. The water was the perfect temperature as soon as he stepped in. The palace was old as hell so it usually took at least five minutes for the water to get warm enough for him to be comfortable. Even longer for it to get piping hot. So, this was a nice change of pace for him. Letting the water wash over his entire body he let every event from the night flow freely. Every shiver he let out, every tense muscle he loosened, and every tear he needed to shed he let flow. He didn’t know how long he stood there like that but it didn’t matter because he felt himself feeling a little better the longer the water hit his body. Searching around he found the body wash standing on a nook in the shower. He dropped a generous dosage on his washcloth and thoroughly cleaned his body. The scent that wafted over through his nose was that of vanilla. Did everything Sehun owned smell this good? Guess he would never know. He could never get close enough to him to find out. Not because he didn’t want to but because he got a feeling that Sehun was closed off to pretty much anybody. 

When he deemed himself clean enough, he turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. The whole bathroom was covered in steam, so much so that he could barely see in front of him. He felt his way to the sink where he grabbed a towel from the cabinet. After quickly drying himself off he slid into the sweatpants that Sehun gave him but forwent the tank top. There was no use in wearing it when he knew he would get too hot in the middle of the night and throw it off anyway. He neatly folded it back up and set it aside on the counter and threw his towel over the side of the shower. When he opened the door the only light that was on was the bedside lamp. Sehun was nowhere to be seen. His feet sank into the thick carpet as he walked over to the king sized bed. Just as he was about to settle himself in he thought better of it and decided to find Sehun to make sure he was okay. Heading out of the bedroom he went back the way he came when he first stepped into the apartment. It didn’t take him long to find Sehun, who was currently hunched over the sink rinsing his wound out with alcohol. His face was scrunched up in what was presumably pain. Jongin saw the blood rush down his arm and into the sink. It really looked painful.

“Would you like some help?”

Sehun’s head snapped up so fast and the look that crossed his face was deadly. 

“Well, apparently this hurts more than I thought it would.” Sehun responded through gritted teeth

Jongin came around the counter and approached Sehun. He took the bottle of alcohol from his hand and set it next to the sink. Reaching around Sehun’s back he grabbed the unused washcloth and instead poured the alcohol on it. He brought Sehun to one of his bar stools in front of the island and had him sit down before he gently took his arm and dabbed at the wound. Ignoring the fact that they were both shirtless at the moment, Jongin bent down and inspected the open wound closely before continuing his light dabbing. When it was all said and done there was going to be a scar on Sehun’s otherwise unmarked skin. 

“Thank you.” Jongin said into the tense silence

“For what?”

“Saving my life.”

Jongin felt Sehun tense in his hold but didn’t bother to ask about it. Setting the washcloth aside, Jongin grabbed the first aid kit. This one was more equipped than he was used too. He was shocked to find a needle and thread along with hospital grade gauze inside as well. Sehun really was a strange human being. Most people just had bandaids, basic gauze and Neosporin in their medicine cabinets and first aid kits.

“Do you know what you’re doing?”

“Ask me that when I’m done?” he quirked an eyebrow up at him

Sehun silently laughed. Jongin had a feeling he knew exactly what he meant by that statement. Not that many hours ago Sehun had said a variation of the same words to him. Oh how the tables have turned. Silence took over once again as Jongin worked on looping the thread through the needle and attending to the open wound. If he never learned anything else from his father’s stupid lessons he surprisingly remembered this one. For whatever reason, his father deemed it necessary that all royalty should not rely on the help of others in times of distress. It sounded ridiculous to him then and hell even more so now but he was glad he somewhat paid attention. It only took him about five minutes to completely sew everything shut and clean it up. He placed a bandaid on top and wrapped a small amount of gauze around it for good measure. When he was done he looked up to see Sehun staring a hole straight in his face. He just blinked rapidly in response.

“How--uhm--how about that shower? I mean--uh--how about you go shower. I’ll clean up here.”

Jongin tried to push himself away from Sehun but he had a tight grip on his waist. When did that happen exactly?

“Jongin you don’t know what you do to me.”

 

\-- Meanwhile --

 

“WHAT WAS THAT? HE’S SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD.”

“I’m sorry.” Siwon said

“SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT. AND YOU? WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME OH SEHUN WAS ON HIS PROTECTION DETAIL?!”

“You will lower your voice when speaking to me.”

“Oh, excuse me your majesty. WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME ABOUT OH SEHUN?”

“Boss. Yelling solves nothing.” Yixing said

“Look, I know you’re trying to be the voice of reason here but it’s not working. Having Oh Sehun around puts a wrench in every plan. Does no one understand what he’s done? What he’s capable of doing?”

“I’m well aware. That’s why I hired him.” the king spoke

“What are you talking about?”

“I didn't hire him to kill my son. That’s just what he thinks he’s here for.”

“Sir?” Chanyeol spoke up for the first time

“Oh young boy. You have a lot to learn.”

“I--I don’t understand?”

“So you understood when you thought I hired someone to kill my son? You had no issue with that huh? The insolent boy that I hired you and that pansy ass boyfriend of yours to protect for all these years? You didn’t blink not once when you thought I hired someone to kill him but now that I’m not moving according to plan you want to be all worried?” the king spat at Chanyeol

“That’s not it.”

“Oh it’s not? Then why don’t you explain it to me?”

“I just---nevermind.”

“Yeah. Nevermind. Now shut up and know your place kid.”

“Uh...he may not want to know the answer but I sure as hell do. Let us not forget you hired me and my services. I am your boss. I do not care about your hierarchy as king right now.”

“Well if you must know. I have placed myself in a position to kill two birds with one stone. The son who is nothing but a lovesick nuisance and a man who’s father stole my wife and obviously wanted my life.”

“Wait a minute. You’re trying to kill your son because he fell in love with me and you’re trying to kill his “bodyguard” because of his father? You sir, are an actual dumbass. He will kill us all.”

“No he won’t. He will never see this coming.” the king stated

“You just don’t get it do you? He’s not an idiot. He slaughtered the entire Lee Crime Family because they thought it was a brilliant idea to put his mother in the Lee and Oh mob feud. He’s the reason his father is behind bars now. He will not hesitate to slice you limb for limb, especially once he finds out you’re trying to double cross him. And make no mistake about it, he will find out.”

“You’re young and being wise has not become you yet.”

“Okay Sensei Kim. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I don’t play with ghosts, your majesty. Oh Sehun is just that, Seoul’s Midnight Ghost. He’s almost like a myth at this point. Does he or does he not exist? You never know until he’s right in front of your face. Or when you’re dead.”

“Boss, what are we going to do now?” Yixing asked

“I don’t know. Ask the idiot who decided to double cross the most dangerous person this side of Seoul.” he responded sarcastly

“And what about him?” Yixing nodded at Siwon

“Kill him. He’s no use to us anymore and he clearly knows too much now. We’ll have to find someone else.”

Without a second thought, Yixing pulled out his gun from his waistband and shot Siwon in the head. He didn’t even give the man a moment to defend himself before he was sprawled out across the parking garage floor. No one flinched. This wasn’t the first kill they’ve witnessed nor will it be the last. Walking back to the car, Yixing grabbed a tarp from the trunk and a pair of gloves, plus alcohol. After he wrapped the body up in the tarp, he tossed it back in the trunk and came back to clean up the remaining blood that was fresh on the garage floor. When he was done he grabbed the man’s suitcase that housed his rifle and put it haphazardly in the back seat of the car. 

“I’ll dump him down at the docks boss. I’m keeping his rifle though. It’s too clean to go to waste.”

“That’s fine. And Sir Majesty Dumbass, we will be revisiting this conversation at a later date. Just be mindful of who you’re keeping under your roof. If he figures any of this out and he cares even an ounce about your son when he does, then he will not hesitate to take everyone down.”

“You say that like you’re not apart of this whole mess.”

“I only came for your son.”

“Why is it that I don’t fully believe you?”

“Well then you’d be smarter than I thought. Yixing let’s go.”

With that they drove off into the evening, leaving the king and his lanky bodyguard to figure out where to go next. He would have never entered into this agreement had he known Sehun would be watching his ex-lovers back. The thought of “if he couldn’t have Jongin then no one could” was a dangerous thought to have but he was sticking to it. Jongin would soon learn that leaving him all those years ago was a mistake. Now he was going to take everything he loved away from him and then take Jongin’s life, his own life be damned. Sehun more than likely would kill him when this was over but at least he’d be with Jongin again. Even in death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who do we think the boss is? 
> 
> Thank you all for reading, your comments, and your kudos! It is all greatly appreciated.


	11. Chapter 11

Doh Kyungsoo has grown to become a mysterious man. At 27 years old he has seen and done a lot of things. Some he is immensely proud of and others not so much. Falling in love with a prince would be in the “not so much” category. At a young age, probably around 5 years old Kyungsoo was abandoned by both his mother and father. For reasons that he never knew nor would he ever understand he was left with nothing. Struggling to fend for himself. A 5 year old wandering the streets abandoned, lost, without anyone was all he knew for about two years. He would hide in the backyards of people’s house, in their sheds in the winter, and would hide behind restaurants under tossed crates waiting for leftover food. He recalled one day in the scalding hot summer when he was about 7 years old, he saw a limousine pull up in front of the hotel that he was currently trying to sneak into. He was itching to get away from the heat. A tall man with jet black hair and deep set eyes stepped out of the limousine with a beautiful woman on his arm. Behind them three boys ranging from maybe 6 to 9 years old came out behind him. They were all dressed immaculately. The woman was the first to notice him. Not wanting to startle the obviously important family, he ran behind the nearest pillar. However, that didn’t stop her. She slowly walked up to him and knelt down to him at eye level.

“Hello. What’s your name?” she asked in a sweet voice

“H--hi. My--my name is Kyung--Kyung--Kyungsoo.” he stuttered

No one had ever spoken to him. They normally just grunted in his direction when giving him food or yelled at him to get off their property. He was a nuisance. He knew that but he just wanted to survive.

“Hello Kyungsoo. My name is Lisa. Where are your parents?”

“I--I don’t have any.” he hung his head in embarrassment

She didn’t respond to that. Instead she stood back up to her full height and walked back to the man that she exited the car with. He watched them whisper to each other and wanted to run away. He had a feeling they were going to tell the hotel staff on him and then he would have to find another place to get cool air. He started to turn around when a hand grabbed his.

“Hey! Where are you going?”

He didn’t answer solely because he didn’t have an answer. He had no earthly clue where he was going. The boy who asked stared at him with soft eyes. He was slightly taller than him, with bronze skin that glistened in the afternoon sun, and had shaggy black hair that was somewhat shaved on the sides. 

“Jongin, I hope you’re being nice.” the woman scolded the little boy in front of him

“Yes mother!” he shouted back but then turned around and rolled his eyes

Kyungsoo still stood there in shocked silence. He had no idea why he hadn’t ignored the little boys question and simply walked away. Something was keeping him here. Hope? Understanding? Curiosity? 

“Why are you so dirty?” the boy named Jongin asked

“I’m--I’m sorry.” 

“For what? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“But you asked why I was dirty?”

Before Jongin could answer, the people that Kyungsoo assumed was his family, walked up to them. He could tell that although they came from the same family, the other boys all had very different personalities. One seemed stern but kind, another thoughtful but playful, and the last loud but serene. He did not know their names, who they were, or their background but they seemed genuine and trustworthy.

“Would you like to come with us?” the man asked him in a deep voice

“Umm--yes.”

That simple exchange right there changed his life forever. That day he learned that the family that would soon raise him were from the Kim Dynasty. The king and queen were kind enough to take him in and raise him as their own son. He would grow and get to know all the brothers, play with them, study with them, eat with them, grow with them, and love them. However, there was that one brother who stole his heart from the moment their eyes met. He reacted to him differently than the other brothers as he got older and eventually the feelings were reciprocated. They fell in love or so he thought they did. When the king found out about them on Jongin’s 21st birthday, he threw Kyungsoo out of the house. He would never forget the words of pure hatred that came out of his mouth. He told him very matter-of-factly that no son of his would be seen frollicking around with the trash. He was not to be a prince or a king in this lifetime and no one would ever know his name. He was just a stray dog that his wife had a soft spot for. Kyungsoo expected Jongin to stand up for him; for them, but he didn’t. He just stood there behind his father with his head down not bothering to say one word. Another day, another moment where once again his life would change forever. Now almost six long years later it was time to get his revenge. As much as it hurt him, he never stopped loving Jongin and he hoped that one day that their paths would cross and they could finish what they started. That never happened whether by circumstance or fate he would never know, but now was his chance to live his life by his rules and no one else’s. The king thought he ran the show but he would soon find out he was very wrong. 

“Are you done reminiscing?” Yixing asked

They had made it back home after one disastrous evening. Not only was he thinking about his own past but something about tonight’s entire situation. He had paid Siwon to only kill Jongin, so why did it seem like his aim was directed at everyone but him? The only other option was that the king found out about Siwon and offered him a better deal. The king was playing a dangerous game if that was the case. Only one could succeed at a double cross and he was going to be damned if he lost to some pompous old man that had always made irrational decisions. Even when he was growing up in the family it always seemed that the king wanted better when better was not an option for him. Guess with time some things never changed.

“I want you to find out who Siwon had been in contact with over the past few days.”

“Why?”

“I don’t trust the king and I think he offered him some more money. Find it.”

“What are you going to do?” Yixing asked

“Something long overdue.”

“Which is?”

“Cut the head off the snake.”

That was going to be easier said than done. If it was true that the king had paid Siwon, that meant Kyungsoo had to find out everything about his intentions. Especially where Sehun was involved. Why hire the most dangerous man in Seoul to “protect” his son, when he was playing Grim Reaper and planning his own son’s demise anyway? From what he knew of Sehun’s history, protection was certainly not what he was known for. That only meant one other thing. Sehun was probably the king’s insurance policy to Siwon. If Siwon failed that meant he was going to use Sehun next and if Sehun succeeded he would in turn kill Sehun. Leaving no trail of his dirty deeds behind. While on paper it seemed like a somewhat decent idea, it’s execution was going to be messy. The only thing that this plan had in common was the death of Jongin but for very different reasons. Kyungsoo’s was for a betrayal that he never let go of and the king’s was probably because he didn’t trust his youngest son to carry on his legacy properly. A scandal of falling in love with another man would not look good. 

 

\---

 

Jongin was right there. He could feel him burning against his touch. Sehun could smell his own body wash coming off of him. It was intoxicating. Jongin was intoxicating. How did he get himself in this situation? He could easily blame the gunshot wound and lack of blood flow on his actions but that would be a cop out even for him. No. Sehun knew from the moment he met Jongin that his life was meant to change forever. No matter how standoffish and cold he was in the beginning after tonight he wanted nothing more than to have him under him. On him. In him. This was a bad idea and Sehun prided himself on surviving this long off of making rational decisions. He really should have killed him when he had the chance. Then he wouldn’t have to deal with these rush of emotions. For once he was hoping that his face wasn’t betraying him. 

“Sehun.” Jongin’s voice was airy to Sehun’s ears. He wanted to hear him say his name over and over again.

Sehun wanted Jongin closer to him, their shirtless chests right up against each other but against his better judgment he lightly pushed him back and got off the barstool. He owed himself not to get involved. If he went this route there was no turning back. After tonight he knew there was more to his current predicament than meets the eye. Those bullets weren’t just meant for Jongin but him too. No marksman that he knew would be that off when aiming for a target unless that target was also him.

“Are you going to make good on that bet?”

Sehun huffed to himself. He had actually forgotten all about that bet. His mind was too fragile for his own liking to answer any of the questions he knew Jongin would have but a deal was a deal. 

“You remembered that huh?” 

“Well you did say if I survived the night I could ask you anything I wanted.”

“Fair enough.”

“What? Are you not a man of your word?”

Sehun could feel that Jongin was testing him. Where did that stuttering guy go that was scared to look at him barely thirty minutes ago? A multi-faceted man was under his roof. Sehun kind of liked that.

“I’m always a man of my word Jongin.” more than he would ever know 

Sehun was no longer standing near Jongin but somehow he still felt surrounded by him. He leaned back against the counter and stared at Jongin waiting for the man to ask any question that he wanted. He was hoping for something easy like his birthday or favorite color but deep down he knew what Jongin was about to ask was going to be a loaded question.

“Who are you?”

Yep. Loaded question. Nothing and everything could be said in that answer. He could give him the bare minimum or his whole sordid life story. There was also a happy medium that he could find. That seemed the safest place to start.

“I’m a nobody. A ghost. A man who lives amongst the shadows.”

True. That was all true. He was a nobody. He hasn’t been somebody since he was a child and even then being a somebody was questionable.

“You said you’d answer truthfully.”

“And I did.”

Jongin squinted at Sehun like he was searching for something more. A deeper meaning or answer to his pointed words. 

“Sehun, who are you? What are you to me?”

“Your bodyguard. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

He definitely wanted more and most certainly not less.

“No. I saw you talking to my mother the other day. What was that about?”

Okay, question two and that was even more loaded than the first.

“Not my story to tell.”

“But you’re apart of it?”

“Yes.”

“You’re always short and to the point aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

That was how he’d lived his life for so many years. Short and to the point. The less people knew about him the safer he could be. He heard his name being rumbled in the streets at night but most of it was so outlandish that his name had become a myth throughout the streets of Seoul. People knew of Oh Sehun but didn’t really know Oh Sehun. They knew an Oh Sehun that was a lost and mostly ignored child to the infamous crime lord Oh Hyuk. They didn’t know the Oh Sehun that would move within the shadows and leave unidentified bodies in shipyards, car trunks, landfills, and alleyways. They knew the Oh Sehun that grew up to be the CEO of a high-tech security firm. They didn’t know the Oh Sehun who killed an entire rival crime family without blinking an eye. 

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

Sehun winced at Jongin’s choice of words. Maybe not the best timing for that one.

“Sorry,” Jongin replied before Sehun could even get his question out.

“Never apologize. It’s a sign of weakness.”

“Did your father teach you that?” 

“Isn’t it my turn to ask the questions?” he shot back quickly

Jongin just nodded in his direction. They were mirroring each other’s stance from across the island. Both having their arms across their chests. Not combative but protective.

“I’m a dangerous man Jongin. Why do you want to know me so badly?”

“Because you’re different.”

Well he wasn’t wrong about that.

“Not different in a good way. I could ki--” 

“You could what?”

The idea of telling Jongin why he was really there was at the tip of his tongue. He deserved to know. What happened tonight was no misfire. Sehun wasn’t going to kill him, his father’s orders be damned. He should’ve known the moment he was forced to take on this job that his decisions were going to be swayed. At first, it was just another job to him but it isn’t every day that he gets asked by a father to kill his own son. He has his own code of honor and killing innocent people just for the sake of it was breaking that code.

“Nevermind. Forget about it.” 

“No! You could what? I’m not scared of you Sehun.”

“You should be Jongin. I’m not what or who you think I am.” His voice was nonchalant but his stomach was in knots. Jongin deserved better damn it!  
“I don’t care. Tell me.”

Sehun didn’t say a word. He just pushed himself off the counter and stalked over to where Jongin was standing. He had to give credit to Jongin for not moving from his spot. When he stood in front of him, he did tense a little but aside from that he stood his ground. Sehun trailed his hand up Jongin’s toned chest. His body was radiating so much heat that it almost hurt Sehun to touch. But he didn’t stop. When his hand made it too Jongin’s neck he put light pressure on his pulse while bringing his other to the other side of his neck.

“I could kill you right now and be millions of dollars richer,” Sehun leaned in and whispered in his ear.

He pushed his thumbs against Jongin’s windpipe, slowly applying pressure. Jongin grabbed on to his wrists in a struggle before he abruptly released his neck and stepped back.

“I told you I would not hurt you and I meant that. Just don’t ask who I am again. You’ll be disappointed and probably disgusted.”

Sehun started to leave and head to his room for a much needed shower when Jongin reached out and yanked him back, flush against his chest.

“Jongin. Don’t.”

“I just--please.”

Sehun didn’t understand how Jongin could want anything from him after he just told him that he could kill him. This was a determined one, but he didn’t know if he could give him what he wanted and desired.

“I can’t give you what you want.”

“Yes you can. Now shut up.”

Jongin pulled him down by the back of his neck and brought their lips together. Sehun’s arms were on either side of Jongin, blocking him in with his back against the counter. The kiss started out slow and sensual as their lips got used to the feel of one another. Jongin soon started fighting for entrance into Sehun’s mouth which he immediately granted and things heated up from there. Sehun let Jongin take control of the kiss at first until the roles soon reversed and Sehun deepened it. He brought a hand to Jongin’s back and brought him in closer. He wanted more even though he knew more could lead to other things. Things that did not need to happen right now. Jongin moaned into the kiss when Sehun nipped and sucked on his bottom lip. 

“Jongin,” Sehun’s voice was rough against his mouth as he breathed out his name.

“Hmm--?”

“We need to stop.”

“Why?” Jongin asked in between another quick kiss

“Because you don’t really want me.”

Sehun had finally detached himself from the kiss and leaned his forehead against Jongin. Their eyes were burning into each other both obviously yearning for more. Jongin didn’t look disappointed in Sehun’s decision to stop but he did look hopeful. Almost, like Sehun held the escape to his inner demons in his hands. 

“How do you know that?”

“Trust me. You deserve better than the small amount that I’m worth. There’s a princess out there waiting to meet her Prince Charming. Don’t disappoint her in order to save a bottom of the barrel person like me.”

“If it’s the last thing that I do I will show you that you’re worth something.”

“Why do I have a feeling you’ve said those words to someone else before?”

“Because I have.”

“And how did that turn out?”

“My father kicked him out of our house.”

“Well to stop history from repeating itself, how about you don’t try to fix something that is intent on staying broken.”

Sehun didn’t give Jongin a chance to respond before he bent down to give him a fleeting peck on his lips and turned to head towards his bedroom. He needed that shower and time to collect his own thoughts. The king wasn’t going to like this decision but Jongin wasn’t going to die by his hand and most certainly not on his watch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello boss :) was it who you thought it was going to be?
> 
> Let the games begin!!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning!  
> -guns  
> -knives  
> -blood

Baekhyun was pacing the floor of his and Chanyeol’s shared bedroom. He was replaying the events of the night. Chanyeol had been right by his side all night until shots rang out and he didn’t see him again. In an effort to get the queen to safety Baekhyun didn’t stop to think about Chanyeol. That was until they had made it home and everyone was there but him, Sehun and Jongin. Baekhyun was able to deduce that the latter was together but the former was lost in the streets of Seoul. He had tried calling his cell phone to no avail. His body was shivering in worry. He didn’t know what to do, where to start, or where to go. Picking up his phone he tried calling Chanyeol again. All he got was ring after ring after ring. Where was he?

“DAMN YOU PARK CHANYEOL!” he shouted into the empty room

“What did I do now?” came a deep voice from behind him

Guess the room wasn’t all that empty.

“I could fight you right now.” Baekhyun replied as he stormed up to Chanyeol and planted a kiss on his lips. Normally, he would be met with an equally frenzied response but tonight Chanyeol was stiff and barely responding. With a small bite to Chanyeol’s bottom lip, Baekhyun backed off and looked him in his eyes. Something was wrong. He looked lost, confused, but determined. In all the years that he had known him this was new territory for him. He wasn’t quite sure how to approach this.

“Are--are you okay?”

Chanyeol didn’t answer. He just looked at him with dark eyes before he nearly shoved Baekhyun out of the way and went searching for something around the room. Baekhyun just stood there. Waiting. Watching. Something definitely wasn’t right. This wasn’t the first time they had been shot at and it certainly wasn’t the last. So why was Chanyeol acting so different now? Normally, they would just fuck off the adrenaline and call it a day. Tonight, it seemed like that was the farthest thing from his mind. Baekhyun just stood back as Chanyeol rummaged around their room looking for god knows what. He hadn’t said anything to him or explained why he got home so late. 

“Chanyeol.”

No response. He just kept on doing what he was doing. 

“Found it.” Chanyeol whispered to himself from where he was on the floor looking for something under the bed

“Found what?” Baekhyun asked

Chanyeol pulled his large frame off the floor and in his hand he had a brown box that was large enough to carry a gun. Baekhyun knew of that box but was never allowed to touch or open it. This was only the second time he’d seen it. The first being when Chanyeol told him about it and hid it from view.

“What are you doing, Chanyeol?”

Still no answer. 

Standing at the edge of the bed he watched as Chanyeol opened the box. What he saw inside was a gun he’d never seen before, a silencer, bullets, and a small capsule with a liquid substance in it. He left it on the bed as he went into their bathroom and came back with a pair of gloves on. Baekhyun watched as he dipped the bullets in the liquid substance and loaded the gun.

“Are you going to answer me?” 

Silence.

“PARK CHANYEOL YOU WILL ANSWER ME!” Baekhyun had enough of this stoned faced silence and Chanyeol was going to answer him if it was the last thing he ever did. 

Chanyeol once again just looked him in the eye before turning around and leaving Baekhyun to the silence of their bedroom. Still with no answer. Well, that was not going to be good enough for him. His own life be damned he was going to follow Chanyeol and get his answer.

Baekhyun gave Chanyeol barely a minute head start before he went after him. He had a feeling Chanyeol wasn’t going to be taking his own car so he took the back stairs down to the garage where he did indeed find him. Just like he thought, he forewent his own car and took the car that Jongin usually rides in. Hiding behind the door he waited until Chanyeol was pulling out of the garage and into the front courtyard before he grabbed the extra set of keys to Chanyeol’s car and drove off behind him. It was well past midnight by now so where could Chanyeol be headed this time of night? Keeping a few car lengths behind so he wouldn’t be spotted Baekhyun followed Chanyeol to the heart of the city of Seoul. As far as he knew they didn’t know anybody who lived down there and they had no target on their hit list currently. Well aside from Jongin but that was Sehun’s job. Wait…

“Holy shit. Is he going to go kill Jongin?” Baekhyun said out loud

That couldn’t be right though. As far as he knew they were only tasked with the duty of finding someone good enough to kill Jongin. Not actually kill Jongin themselves. So why the change of plan for Chanyeol? That was if Baekhyun’s own hunch was right. He had the urge to call Chanyeol but thought better of it as he watched as the man in question pulled into a parking spot down the street from a high-rise and obviously expensive apartment building. He had never been here before but obviously Chanyeol had. Baekhyun parked his car under a broken street lamp and waited to see what Chanyeol would do. He didn’t immediately exit the car and it looked like he was looking around for something. 

“What are you doing, Park?” he whispered to himself

His question was soon answered. Chanyeol exited the car. He had a hood pulled up over his head and a black mask covering his face. Probably what he was looking for in the car. Baekhyun knew Jongin liked to keep a few spares in the car, which was something he taught him. Now it looked like it was a lesson that would come back to bite him in the ass. Getting out of the car he waited until Chanyeol was in the front door before he followed the signs to the parking garage and came up to a back door that would lead to the lobby. It was keypad protected but he knew a few tricks of his own. He could tell someone recently used it because a few of the buttons looked to have perspiration on them. The numbers that looked to be used were 9, 4, 8, 0, 6, and 1. Figuring he only had three tries before he tripped some alarm he looked to see which of those numbers were probably used twice. From what he saw it seemed to be only the eight. Although, there were six numbers that were recently used the door was only a four-digit code. So he had to deduce which numbers were that of someone else’s. This wasn’t going to be easy. Peeking through the door he noticed that Chanyeol was talking to a security guard of some sort. It didn’t look to be a hostile conversation. Yet. But with Chanyeol’s current state of mind that probably wouldn’t be sure to last. Time was not on Baekhyun’s side.

“Okay. What could this blasted code be?”

It was obvious eight was used twice so he started there. Starting with eight, his first code choice was 8861. He got a red light indicating that was wrong.

“Damn it.”

He tried 8048 next. 

Red light.

“Fuck!”

Baekhyun was trying to keep his composure. He had to get into this building without being caught and this seemed the easier of ways. Not that his other options were all that much better.

8894.

Green light.

“Success!” 

The door unlocked with a tiny click and he pushed it open. He looked around the corner and listened in on the conversation. Chanyeol was starting to raise his voice which wasn’t a good thing, but there was nothing he could do to stop him.

“Sir. I have not seen Mr. Oh this evening. As far as I am aware he is not here.”

“Did he tell you to say that?”

“No sir. It has been a fairly quiet evening. Most of the tenants decided to stay in. Would you like me to call up to see if he is indeed in?”

“That won’t be necessary. Just tell me what floor he’s on.”

Baekhyun knew that voice. If the security guard didn’t answer, he would be knocking on death’s doorstep.

“I won’t ask twice old man.” Chanyeol had yanked the man up by the collar and pushed him against the security desk. Baekhyun could see lack of emotion in Chanyeol’s eyes and false bravado in the guard. 

“I will not answer you.”

“Then I guess you will have to die.” Baekhyun heard Chanyeol nearly growl

Going against his better judgment and probably not within his paygrade, Baekhyun sent Sehun a text message. 

\--

Jongin waited until he heard the shower running from Sehun’s bathroom before he followed and made himself comfortable in his king sized bed. Just when he started to doze off to the sounds of the shower and the fresh laundry smell of Sehun’s sheets he heard a phone buzz behind him. Thinking it was his, he reached behind him without looking and grabbed the device off the nightstand. It was a text message from Baekhyun. Yeah, definitely his phone. Well that was until he realized what the message was actually saying.

911! 911! Sehun get Jongin out of the building. - from Baekhyun

“What the hell.” Jongin said to himself when his eyes finally adjusted to the screen

Calmly getting out of bed he headed to the bathroom and knocked on the door. He didn’t want to rudely interrupt him.

“Sehun?” he said after knocking

He didn’t get a response, so assuming the man didn’t hear him he let himself into the bathroom. And damn his eyes for what he saw. Sehun was facing the wall with the shower water running over his head. Through the steamed glass Jongin could see his toned back which flexed every time he ran soap across his body. Having not noticed before, he took in the fact that Sehun’s ass was perfectly round and plump. He was salivating at the thought of having them in his hands. Lastly, his legs. Slightly longer than his own but it’s like they were gracefully holding the body of a sequoia tree. Damn he was beautiful.

“You know they say staring isn’t polite.”

Jongin jumped so hard he almost dropped the phone in his hand. He had gotten so lost in Sehun’s body that he didn’t see the man turn around. Now he was getting a front view of all his naked glory and quite frankly all his brain functions were shutting down.

“Uh--sorry--uhm I--well Baekhyun--” Jongin was stuttering so hard he had to take a breather to calm himself down enough to say what he needed to say. It was clear Baekhyun’s message was important so he needed to pull himself together and fast. Even if Sehun was staring a hole into his face. So, after clearing his throat he finally continued.

“Let me start over. I accidentally grabbed your phone. Baekhyun sent a message saying that it’s a 911 and you need to get me out of here.”

Sehun didn’t even say a word. He reached around, turned the shower off and grabbed the towel that he had hanging up to wrap around his waist. He didn’t even bother drying off fully before he stepped out and grabbed Jongin by the arm. Nearly dragging him with him, Sehun stopped in front of a panel in the wall by the closet and placed his hand over a specific spot. Watching in awe the wall moved to the side leading to what looked like a tiny bunker. He reached in and switched on a light and Jongin could see that there was a short flight of stairs.

“Get in!” Sehun nudged him urgently

Jongin didn’t ask any questions he just walked down the steps to a room that looked like a smaller version of the master bedroom. Instead of a bed, there was a black leather six-seater couch, a television mounted on the wall and a fully stocked mini bar. Definitely not what he expected. Farthest thing from it, actually.

“Sehun. What is th--?” he turned around hoping to find Sehun behind him. He was stunned when he realized that he was alone. He looked up the stairway to see that the panel had been shut and as far as he knew there was absolutely no way of getting out. This was how he died. In a fancy bunker with only liquor as a source of food. Not the worst way to go out but definitely not how he thought he would go. Certainly no blaze of glory. 

\--

After shutting the bunker behind Jongin, Sehun grabbed his phone and put it on speakerphone as he went into his closet to put on some fresh clothes and grab a gun. He had plenty stored everywhere but the one in his closet was probably the fastest and safest bet. At the moment, not knowing who the current threat was he had to think quickly but efficiently.

“Hello.” a whisper came through the phone as he was sliding his pants on

“Baekhyun what is going on?”

“Chanyeol.”

“What about him? And why are you whispering?”

Sehun was having trouble hearing between Baekhyun’s whispering and his rummaging through his closet.

“Because I don’t want him to find me.”

“Find you?’ Sehun asked in a confused tone

“Don’t worry about me. Where’s Jongin did you get him out?”

“He’s safe. Why do you care? Don’t you want him dead just like his own damn father? You were the ones to find me. What’s the issue now? A conscience?”

“For me? Maybe. Chanyeol not so much. I’ll explain later if we survive this.”

Baekhyun finished relaying the information to Sehun about where Chanyeol was in the building and he was apparently on his way up to help him. He’d believe that help when he saw it. Sehun was well aware that those two were joined at the hip well before he even entered the picture so when it came down to it, Baekhyun was more likely to help Chanyeol before helping him. That was the reality and he was prepared for that.

“You better hurry.”

Those were some of the last words Baekhyun spoke to him before he heard shuffling over the phone, some extreme levels of cursing, and doors shutting before the call ended. When Sehun had his gun and silencer loaded he walked out of his bedroom without a second glance towards the bunker that he stuck Jongin in. That was the safest place for him right now and getting any emotions involved could end badly for the both of them. Heading through the hallways he shut all the remaining lights off, checked his front door, and then moved over to his bookshelf. Pulling a combination of books aside the shelf opened to a passageway. It led from his penthouse down to the floor below. One which he also owned and stored many of his hundreds of other weapons. He waited until the panel was almost fully shut before taking the short stairway to another hidden wall that would open with a specific passcode. When it opened he looked around and went over to the door of the storage room. The elevator was directly outside and he pushed the button to go down. It was obvious someone was currently on it as the digital screen was reading floor five at the moment. That gave him enough time to slither down the long hallway and hide behind a unit of equipment boxes. While waiting he controlled his breathing because the moment those doors opened he would have to make a split second decision. Any extra movements, one wrong step, and this would all be over for him. He hadn’t spent the last half of his life being the ghost of Seoul to go out like that. Watching. Waiting. The elevator was slowly making its way to his floor and he had his 9mm Beretta pointed straight at the door. The elevator was directly below him now. Slowing his heartbeat and clearing his mind, Sehun waited for it to reach him. The moment the bell rang and the doors opened that was going to be his moment. He had to get Chanyeol before he even knew he was there. He couldn’t let him get up to the penthouse on his own free will. Not on his watch.

“Gotcha.” The elevator doors were opening and standing in all his over six feet of glory Sehun watched as Chanyeol surveyed the area. He saw as the man debated if he should get off the elevator or stay on and go up to the last floor. All Sehun needed was that split second of doubt. He was so close to getting it too. Chanyeol peeked his head barely out the elevator door; his foot hanging over the threshold. Just where he needed him. While Chanyeol was making the mistake of debating his actions, Sehun raised his weapon and aimed straight for his kneecap. He watched as Chanyeol fell back into the elevator and he raced towards it before the doors closed. Shutting them in together he grabbed Chanyeol by the lapels of his jacket and aimed his gun right under his neck.

“Why are you here?” he growled out

“You’re good.”

“And you’re stupid.” Sehun spit out

Sehun could tell that Chanyeol was in pain and trying not to show it but he was also losing a lot of blood. He could hear the choked out panting in Chanyeol’s chest as he kept the gun aimed on him.

“He has to die, ya know?”

“Isn’t that my job?”

Before Chanyeol was able to answer, the elevator stopped and opened to the penthouse floor. He started to drag Chanyeol’s massive weight through the open doors when he felt a sharp stab in his side.

“You’re good. Just not good enough.”

Sehun looked down to see a black battle knife sticking out of his side. He stumbled and Chanyeol took his own gun and aimed it at his head. He was clutching his side as they stood at a standstill. Too bad for Chanyeol this wasn’t his first rodeo. Within the blink of an eye, he shot his leg out and kicked Chanyeol straight in his bloody kneecap. He fell to one knee but his hold on the gun went unwavering. Despite the pain in his side, Sehun hadn’t dropped his gun either. 

“Drop it!”

“How about you drop it?” 

“Sorry, Sehun you drop it first.” He felt the cold end of a barrel tap his temple and from his peripheral Baekhyun came into view. Two guns against one already wasn’t in his favor but with him still having a knife in his side that lessened his chances even more. He had to think outside the box now. He had one trick left up his sleeve though. Lightly putting his gun on the nearest table he kept his eyes trained on Chanyeol. That way Baekhyun wouldn’t see him coming. In one swift movement, he grabbed a knife that he kept on the underside of the table, swung his foot around and tripped up Baekhyun. Yanking him around by his arm, he came up behind Baekhyun and put the knife right under his neck.

“Chanyeol. If you give a damn about him I would drop the gun if I were you. Or he will die right in front of you.”

Pressing the knife to Baekhyun’s throat he let a trickle of blood slide down his throat. Since he had no ties to him, he could slit his throat and not think twice about it. 

“You wouldn’t.”

“Wouldn’t I. Wow. Some boyfriend you got there Baekhyun.” He sneered in his ear as he pressed the knife even harder; moving the knife over a little as he did so. The blood flow started becoming just a tad bit thicker now.

“Chanyeol.” Baekhyun choked out. Sehun felt a single tear, drop on the hand that was holding the knife. 

“Are you really going to let these be his last words to you?” Sehun’s voice held absolutely no emotion. There eye contact was unmoving and it didn’t look like the latter was going to make any moves to save the apparent love of his life.

“I’m giving you five seconds. Then he dies.”

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to update. I just finished up classes for the semester and had a lot of tests. I'm back now! Hopefully, y'all are okay after that update :D
> 
>  
> 
> follow me on twitter @sekairrific


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for this taking so long to post! I had it halfway done well over a month ago. I've just been reading a lot lately so I kind of left this to collect some dust.

Jongin was becoming restless. He didn’t know how long he’d been in this bunker of sorts. Had it been hours, weeks, years? Okay, maybe that last part was a bit of a stretch. But his point still stood, how long had he been in here? He felt like he’d aged at least ten years since he woke up this morning? Or was it yesterday morning? Was it even a new day yet? All he really wanted was to curl up in a ball and sleep. He was close to doing that, smothered in the smell of Sehun when he accidentally read that text. Now here he was pacing the confines of this tiny room. Was Sehun still even alive? He better be, because he refused to go out in a damn bunker with alcohol as his only source of sustenance and a nice comfy couch. Granted some people would thoroughly enjoy that ending but he certainly did not.

“Did I really get left here to rot?” Jongin said out loud to absolutely no one because no one was around to answer him.

“Nope, but you can stay if you’d like.”

Jongin whirled around so fast that his neck cracked. Standing shirtless at the edge of the steps was Sehun. He had a large bandage covering the right side of his long torso. If Jongin remembered correctly that was not there before. At least he didn’t think so. What the hell happened while he was stuck down here?

“What happened to you?” 

“That can wait but there’s some people who would like to speak to you.” Sehun didn’t give him much time to respond before he turned around and went back up the bunker stairs. Jongin felt that Sehun had closed himself off since the last time they talked which wasn’t that long ago. 

“Wait! Talk to me about what?” The question fell on deaf ears because Sehun was already gone. Accepting defeat he scrambled to make it out of the bunker with a fear that he’d get left down there. When he saw that the door was still open at the top he took a deep breath and climbed up the steps. Coming out he noted bandages and towels that were soaked with blood scattered all over Sehun’s bedroom floor that led to his bathroom. Wondering if that all belonged to one person he carefully made his way out of the bedroom and into the front room. What he saw was definitely not what he was expecting. Baekhyun was sitting on a bar stool with a bandage covering part of his neck and he was bending over helping Chanyeol pull something out of his kneecap. Sehun was on standby with what looked to be a bottle of peroxide and a towel. There was also some thread and a needle on the counter.

“Fuck Baekhyun! Just pull it out.” Chanyeol was gritting so hard there was some blood now dripping down the side of his mouth either stemming from his tongue or bottom lip.

“I’m trying but your big ass keeps moving. Sit still.”

Jongin watched as Baekhyun picked up a bloody piece of skin on Chanyeol’s knee so he could use a set of tweezers or were those pliers, to pull out what seemed to be a bullet. It took a long stretch of silence but Baekhyun was able to get it out. He dropped it in a glass that was on the table as Sehun took over and cleaned the wound before stitching Chanyeol’s knee up. It was ghastly to look at but Jongin couldn’t tear his eyes away.

“Thanks.” Chanyeol mumbled under his breath.

“Mhm. Don’t make it a next time. Then I’ll have to kill you.” Sehun stated dryly.

Jongin was stunned. He watched as everyone moved around him yet he stood and did nothing. Now that Baekhyun and Sehun had cleaned up Chanyeol’s wounds they were wiping down the countertops and cleaning a bloody knife in the sink. There were guns still laid out on the floor and he somewhat tracked that Chanyeol was scooting over to pick them up. 

“What--what happened here?” Jongin’s voice barely carried above a whisper but despite that he felt everyone stop and look in his direction. However, no one answered him. His patience was shot to shit and he was tired. This silence was grinding his gears.

“Someone answer me. NOW!”

Jongin watched as Sehun walked from his position at the sink to come and stand in front of him. It took every fiber of his being to not notice the fact that the man was shirtless and absolutely fucking large. His eyes were piercing through his own and Jongin just wanted to fall into his embrace. But no. Nope. He had to get answers before anything else happened. That was if anything else was meant to happen. Which with the way today was going that wasn’t to be anytime soon.

“If no one answers me within the next five seconds I’m walking out that damn door.” He saw them all glance at each other like they were debating who was going to spill the beans first. To be honest, he didn’t quite care who answered him as long as someone fucking answered.

“Okay. Five seconds are up.” Moving around Sehun’s large body he started walking to the door until a hand reached out and yanked him back. He was thrown flush against Sehun’s very naked torso and his breath was nearly knocked out of his chest.

“I can’t let you do that.”

“Well then I guess someone better start talking and fast.” 

While still in Sehun’s embrace they both turned in the direction of Chanyeol and Baekhyun, neither of whom had left their positions at the counter. Guess, one or both of them had the answers that he was looking for. 

“Well?”

“Jongin it’s complicated.” Baekhyun finally started

“Well unfuckingcomplicate it then.” Jongin spat back. He really didn’t understand why he was so angry but it had something to do with the people in this room. There was a feeling that he had nearly aged a thousand years in just the past few hours. He’d damn near been ducking and dodging for his life since he woke up. This was getting out of hand and he was tired of it.

“Jongin. How about we take a seat over here.” The voice came softly from beside him and he was pointing in the direction of the couch.

“I think I’ll remain standing for this.” 

Sehun shrugged and went back to his spot behind the counter, crossing his arms over his large chest and feet at the ankles.

“So, where to start?” Chanyeol said to himself

“The beginning.” Jongin gritted out 

Chanyeol left his stool and started pacing back and forth, despite the wound in his leg. Jongin tracked his every move, never taking his eyes off the taller man. The silence was deafening but he was not moving until he got his answers. It was now or never and never certainly was not going to be an option. 

“Your father---”

“What about him?” It was absolutely no secret to anybody that him and his father didn’t get along and they hadn’t for many years. They used to be alright, somewhat bearable when he was growing up, and then it all changed. He knew the moment that it had changed but refused to acknowledge it. He just couldn’t grasp that his father would shun him solely because of who he associated with. An association that began because his mother wanted to bring that poor lonely kid in off the street during that hot day so many years back. An association that blossomed into so much more. Jongin didn’t think he could feel that way about someone else ever again. Overtime his feelings faded but his hatred for his father grew. 

“Your father---he---his hatred for you knows no limits.” Chanyeol said slowly. Almost, like he was measuring how much he could get away with saying. 

“No shit Chanyeol. Tell me something I don’t already know.”

“He’s paid people to have you killed.” Well there you have it, not where he thought this conversation was headed. That was something he most definitely didn’t know. His whole world seemed to shift despite the fact that he was still standing. 

“Who?” he barely choked out

He was once again met with silence and a whole lot of eye shifting. A sudden dreaded feeling sank deep in his stomach but he was going to wait for an eternity until he got the answer. If he jumped the gun and was wrong then he’d end up throwing up.

“Who, damn it!”

“Me.” Chanyeol said

Jongin nearly choked on air and he saw out of the corner of his eye that Baekhyun had paled significantly. Guess this was the answer that neither had expected for vastly different reasons. He knew his father pretty much hated his entire existence but to go as far as to pay one of his bodyguards to kill him was just---he had no words for that.

“Can I explain?”

“You fuckin better.”

Now it was Chanyeol’s turn to pace. Bad leg and all he got up from his spot on the barstool and just walked back and forth in front of the island. All three sets of eyes followed every last one of his movements. From the way he would drag his hands through his hair and then wipe them on his pants, when he’d take a deep breath like he was prepared to speak but then thought better of it, or when he’d stop directly in front of Jongin without saying a word and instead choosing to keep his eyes trained on the floor.

“Chanyeol, my patience is already shot to shit. You need to start talking now before I completely lose my mind.” The man in question just looked at him like he was seeing through him and then he turned to Baekhyun with another expression entirely. Complete betrayal of trust and a breaking of a special bond that only they shared.

“He had something over me. I didn’t have any other choice.”

“Yes you did.” Jongin said

“We all have a choice.” Baekhyun stated softly nearly running right over Jongin’s statement.

“Not with this I didn’t.”

“So whatever it is was worth my life Chanyeol? My life! The one thing that can never be given back once it’s taken. I can’t possibly see something worth that damn much where I could cease to exist because of your hands.”

“I owed a debt that I couldn’t pay.”

“How much?”

“Almost two million.”

“And let me guess my father somehow found out and as usual he used it to his advantage.”

“Sort of. My debt is tied to someone else in this room.”

Without having asked the question all eyes turned to the most silent person in the room.

 

***

 

Sehun hadn’t said anything during the whole exchange between Jongin and Chanyeol. For some reason his heart was uncharacteristically breaking for the others in the room. He understood what it was like to lose someone’s trust, but for it to be in a life or death manner was something else entirely. There was no coming back from something like that. 

“Sort of. My debt is tied to someone else in this room.” He felt more than saw the eyes turn to him even without having really heard what was said. Having long checked out due to his own conscience having a field day in his brain.

“Excuse me? What.”

“My debt is tied to you Sehun.”

Now he was confused. He barely knew anybody in this room. Having chosen his own path years ago when he left his father for the life he’s lived ever since then. A life hidden in the shadows. Paths never crossing with others aside from the lives he’s taken. So there was absolutely no way Chanyeol and his debt were tied to him in any way. 

“I highly doubt that but I will entertain the notion and ask how?”

“Does the last name Lee ring a bell?”

Sehun nearly fainted then. Chanyeol had to be mistaken. No one from the Lee Crime Family was left. No, not after he slaughtered everyone involved with that entire syndicate for what they did to his mother. They paid the price for taking her life in the petty war between the Lee’s and the Oh’s. The moment he turned eighteen he didn’t look back and with vengeance clouding his heart, mind, and soul he set out to right the wrong that was done. His mother was an innocent party and his father had never cared enough to avenge her so Sehun took it upon himself to do so.

“That’s impossible. I slaughtered them all by the time I turned twenty.”

“And that is most likely very much true, except one. An estranged son. Lee Taemin.”

Sehun didn’t comment as he started putting the pieces together in his head. There were rumors of a son existing that came from the father of the Lee family stepping out on his wife but he could never find the fruits of that affair. Apparently, Chanyeol had.

“And before you ask, there’s no finding him. He’s about as elusive as you.”

Sehun strongly doubted that.

“So, what does that have to do with my father wanting me dead.” Jongin had clearly found his voice again.

“He knew I had a debt to the Lee’s and he said that if I took you out then he’d give me enough money to pay off the debt and go anywhere I wanted. To go underground. I took the job because I wanted Baekhyun and I to get out of this job.”

“Wait. You were really going to kill me?”

Silence. 

Amongst the silence Sehun had put another piece of the puzzle together and that lead him down to a dangerous emotion. It was boiling beneath his skin and he was hanging on by a thread of his composure. 

“Is that why I’m here?”

Yep, it all explained so much but he needed confirmation. His brain was running a mile a minute. Why it seemed like the bullets weren’t just aimed at Jongin but flew by his own head too. The sniper wasn’t a bad shot. No he had two targets. Which meant Jongin’s father was in collusion with someone else. This was a double cross of epic proportions and it all started the moment Sehun had been hired to kill Jongin. The king knew he couldn’t find him anyway else and Sehun rarely turned down a job based off of his own principles.

“What do you mean?” Baekhyun was the one to ask

“Is that why I was hired to kill Jongin?”

The important question was now out in the open and the air had simultaneously been sucked out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ask me anything!  
> Twitter: @sekairrific
> 
> Also, I hope you all enjoyed Baekhyun and Chanhun's albums :D

**Author's Note:**

> This Sehun: https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=wNiU%2f2S8&id=8237716DC3212813DE195C917F60247ECE49DAD8&thid=OIP.wNiU_2S8ZVPgmzrVYt0TlAHaFP&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2f0.soompi.io%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2016%2f06%2f02013017%2fEXO-Sehun-Monster.jpg&exph=849&expw=1200&q=Chanyeol+Monster+Era&simid=607992154359727691&selectedIndex=89&ajaxhist=0  
> Imagine Chanyeol & Baekhyun from 160616 :)


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